The Florida State basketball program's history has been in one word - average. With just 14 tournament appearances, one national championship appearance back in 1972 and only 10 years finishing the season ranked by the AP or Coaches polls since the program began in the 1940s, the Seminoles have not had a very relevant program. In the 2010-11 season, the Seminoles cracked the surface. Hamilton's ninth year brought a third straight tournament appearance, but this time his 'Noles surged all the way to the Sweet Sixteen for just the fifth time ever. The following year came the first ACC Championship in school history.
The 'Noles have not returned to the tournament since. Hamilton's teams have gotten comfortable with NIT appearances and last season they were not even invited to the tournament - the first time the 'Noles did not make either the NCAA Tournament or NIT since 2005. Despite the hype around the team since its ACC Championship, the Seminoles have not been able to put it together on the court.
Xavier Rathan-Mayes (via NoledOut.com)
So what's the point? Why do we care that our basketball program is the definition of average? Because this year is different.
Week 11 is here as the college football season is flying by and I am still kicking Johnathan's butt in the picks. Last week was not great for either of us as we both struggled (JK: 2-6 and Sean: 3-5) and Florida State lost a tough one to Clemson.
JK: 25-31 Sean: 36-19
We have a solid slate of games this week with a couple of possible upsets brewing and another week provides another opportunity for the Big 12 to play no defense.
The 10th week of the college football season taught us a lot. There were upsets galore and some impressive wins by multiple teams. As the playoff picture becomes cloudier, Sean and I will try to make sense of what we've seen according to the CFB rankings)
AP Top 15:
1) Clemson (9-0) Wins: 24-22 vs #4 ND, 23-13 vs #16 FSU
Clemson had a huge win this weekend and now have a clear path to the ACC Championship game. Barring an upset they will likely play red-hot North Carolina which would give them another impressive win, solidifying them as the #1 team for the CFP.
The Florida State Seminoles took care of business against a trigger-happy Southeastern team (they took 36 2s and 33 3s), beating the Fire 117 to 76. Once again we saw the new talent and the improved veterans put on a show at the Civic Center. This entertaining style could become a "thing" for the 'Noles this year, just don' expect 100 points a game. This Southeastern team is a top tier NAIA program, they are already 3-0 (I'm pretty sure this loss does not count against them). I was very impressed with FSU as both the defense and offense showed they could be scary at times this year. Here are my eight takeaways from the FSU's second and final exhibition game of the year.
1) This team is fun.
I have seen this team twice in person and these guys definitely have a good time when they play basketball. The team has great chemistry on and off the floor and so far this season, this team seems to have them beat in that department. In my opinion, the freshmen have been a big part of the on court chemistry as I believe they bring just the right amount of Jameis Winston-esque goofiness and skill to an experienced team. They haven't faced any adversity yet but the 'Noles look like they will be having fun all year long. This team seems to have a great feel for where everyone is at on the court and seemed to cut without the ball as good as any Leonard Hamilton team. For the common fan, more chemistry usually means more alley-oops.
When Johnathan first asked me to write about this week's showdown between Florida State and Clemson, my first reaction was to write about how we could get blown out. As the week progressed, I became more and more confident in the Noles to pull off the upset. On Tuesday when Clemson became #1 in the first edition of the College Football Standings, I felt more confident as it is extremely difficult to be the number one team in the nation. Also seeing FSU as 12.5 point underdogs was even more ammo for the Noles to get up for the biggest game on their schedule. The icing on the cake was when Clemson defensive end, Shaq Lawson, said, " We're going to show Dalvin Cook why he should have come to Clemson." LOL. For once, Florida State has no pressure and Clemson has all the pressure of proving they are the number one team. Understand that Clemson has the talent to blow us out of the water, not mention they have the motivation to beat us as they have not done it the past three years. Florida State will have to play their best game of the year and have a couple bounces go their way to beat Clemson. Here are the eight keys to a Florida State victory over Clemson.
1. Jump on Clemson Early
Death Valley will be rocking post petting of the "Rock," and Florida State will need to silence them early. If Jimbo Fisher's offense gets the ball first they have to go down the field and put seven on the board, take the energy out of the place. I believe Jimbo will have a few tricks up his sleeve as our offense has been very vanilla all year long. As for the defense, we need to force a three and out or at least not allow Clemson to score on their first drive. I would love to send Jalen Ramsey or Derwin James at Deshaun Watson on a blitz on the first third down of the game and make their presence known. For Florida State to win this ball game they will need to come out ready to play from kickoff.
2. Get Dalvin Cook the Ball
Okay, I know this one seems a little obvious, but just to make it clear Dalvin Cook will need 25 to 30 touches for Florida State to win this game. Key word, touches, as I believe we need to take advantage of Cook's ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. If Dalvin has over 150 yards and two touchdowns I like our chances to pull off the upset. Another reason Dalvin needs to touch the ball as much as possible is because it will be raining in Death Valley Saturday and I believe that works in Florida State's favor as they have one of the most elusive running backs in the nation. With the emergence of Jacques Patrick, look for Dalvin to possible take advantage of a banged up defense after they tackle the freshman a couple of times. I believe Dalvin re-enters his name in the Heisman race after the game tomorrow.
3. Stretch Clemson's Defense Vertically Down the Field
Florida State has struggled in the passing game all year, especially when it comes to taking the top off a defense. Some of that is attributed to the offensive line, some to the receivers and their inability to separate from cornerbacks, and some on the quarterback for missing them when they are open. Last week, Sean Maguire displayed the deep ball, granted against a pourus Syracuse defense but at least we were completed passes down the field. Travis Rudolph finally showed up last week, I attribute this towards the extreme criticism that Johnathan threw his way. As for Clemson, dalvin will need help and the best way to make sure Clemson does not stack the box is to complete passes down the field. No matter who the quarterback is tomorrow, we will need the receivers to go up and get the ball on Saturday. Look for the emergence of Ermon Lane, Pigg Harrison, or George Campbell to provide this deep threat. If Maguire starts, I think we could see an out of nowhere appearance from Pigg Harrison as these two showed great chemistry in the Spring Game ( 5 receptions, 94 yards). One of our receivers will have to step up if we want to silence the Clemson fans and their overalls.
4. Make Deshaun Watson Uncomfortable
In my opinion, Deshaun Watson has been disrespected by the national media as he has not received the attention he deserves. The biggest reason Clemson is undefeated is Mr. Watson and of late he has been flat out dominant (Season Stats: 70.3% completion percentage, 1936 yds, and 24 TDs). Florida State is not going to shut down Watson. He is too dynamic of a player. What the Noles' defense can do is make him uncomfortable. We will need big games from Jalen Ramsey, Derwin James, Demarcus Walker, Derrick Nnadi, and Niles Lawrence-Stample. The defensive lineman in particular will have to disrupt Watson. We do not necessarily need big sack numbers we just need pressure to force Watson to make a throw he does not want to make. If Clemson is to win the game, I believe it will be due to the fact that Deshaun Watson solidified his Heisman campaign.
5. Win the Turnover Battle
This stat always has a huge impact on the outcome of a game, but with a rain soaked field turnovers will play an even bigger role. Clemson has turned the ball over 14 times this year ( six fumbles and eight interceptions), while FSU has only turned it over twice this year. Florida State will have to take care of the ball and force turnovers to win this game. If Florida State turns the ball over more than twice, it will be near impossible for the Noles to win. Look for Jalen Ramsey and the defense to create some havoc on a rainy Saturday and possibly be the difference in the game.
6. Capitalize in the Red Zone
We were so spoiled with Jameis Winston, as #5 excelled in the red zone. Granted, when you have Kelvin Benjamin for one year and Rashad Greene and Nick O'Leary for two scoring touchdowns in the red zone seems to be pretty easy. This year's Noles have struggled mightily in the red zone. We have been in the red zone 29 times this year and have only come away with 15 touchdowns and 11 field goals. While we have consistently put points on the board in the red zone, we need to finish off drives with touchdowns more consistently. Our ineffiencies in the red zone have reared their head in the Miami and Georgia Tech game. In the Miami game, we struggled to score touchdowns and as a result we found ourselves having to score a touchdown late to win the game late. As for Georgia Tech, we had four red zone opportunities and came away with 13 points. If you want to be an elite team, you have to score a touchdown on close to 75% of your red zone trips. Our ineffiency in the red zone cost us the game against Georgia Tech, as we allowed them to hang around and win on a miracle play. If we plan on beating Clemson, we will have to score touchdowns and not settle for field goals.
7. Score a Defensive or Special Teams Touchdown
As I adressed right above, we struggle to score in the red zone, therefore we will need a touchdown from our defense or special teams. Defensively, I would love to see Jalen Ramsey have a pick 6, as I believe his celebration may be legendary. Same goes for Derwin James, if he were to score a touchdown it will just add another story to his budding legacy. More than likely, I see a special teams touchdown more likely simply due to Kermit Whitfield. One of the fastest players in the country is going to take one back to the house soon as he is one of the most explosive players in the nation. He's returned a kick for a touchdown in a big game before, and I look for him to add another one against Clemson. If we can get a defensive or special teams touchdown, I believe our chances of the upset increase dramatically.
8. Play Aggressive
If you do not think that Jimbo Fisher is a conservative coach then you live under a rock. Do not get me wrong Jimbo is one of the best coaches in college football, but I would like to see him be more aggressive at times and put teams away. Anyways, Florida State needs to be aggressive for 60 minutes against Clemson. From kickoff to the victory formation (hopefully). What is important is even with a lead the Noles need to stay aggressive and look to stomp on the Tigers throat. Up seven or down seven the Noles and Jimbo Fisher need to be aggressive in order to pull off the upset.
Honestly, it is going to be difficult to beat Clemson, but we have the talent to do it. The Noles have been disrespected all week, nobody is giving us a chance and that is why I believe we will win. For once, the chip is on our shoulder and the opponent has all the pressure. Am I biased? yes. But I have the Noles beating Clemson 34-31.
Last night the Florida State Seminoles hit the court for live action in the Civic Center for the first time this year. The 'Noles welcomed in Division II Lynn University (21-10 last year) and proceeded to dismantle them, finishing with a 114-67 win and seven 'Noles scoring in double digits. Leonard Hamilton's team looks completely different from last seasons team that finished just one game over .500. It was the first time fans (like me) were able to see this new team in live action against another team. Here are 8 things that I noticed out of the Seminoles last night:
via FoxSports.com
1) This team is deep.
You read that right - seven Seminoles scored in double figures last night. The 'Noles have to have one of the deepest backcourts in the league with XRM, Mann, Bell, Bookert, and even Beasley - all three of which appear to have ability at both guard positions. The center position is currently scarce with two players (Ojo and freshman Koumadje) both out with injuries but, the team has the players to adjust. Phil Cofer and Jarquez Smith can both help Bojo down low despite being relatively undersized for post players. XRM, Bookert, Bell, Beasley, Bacon, Mann, Brandon, Cofer, Smith, Bojo, Ojo, and even Robbie Berwick gives Leonard Hamilton 12 players that can come in and produce.
When you were growing up, your parents often told you not to gamble with dangerous things. "don't play with fire", "don't run with scissors!", "don't touch that cat, it's claws are out". When I was younger I apparently liked to tell my dad that he was not the boss of me. I quickly learned that he was, in fact, the boss of me. These lessons that we eventually learn make our life much easier and less painful.
It doesn't seem like Jimbo Fisher has quite learned this lesson. Outside of one of the greatest seasons college football has ever seen, coach Fisher has had a knack for testing FSU fans' limits. Since his arrival, we have been tested with dramatic game after dramatic game. It's understandable when it is against ranked teams, but teams like Georgia Tech that are the definition of mediocre leaves us scratching our heads. Luckily for us, a great majority of these 4th quarter battles have ended in our favor. Now I get that it's college football and anything can happen, but it begs the question, what is it about Jimbo's teams that keep us past the edge of our seat? Is it game-planning? Is it just not taking the opponent seriously?
Saturday night, I watched the game in downtown Atlanta and was in absolute shock as Lance Austin returned a block field goal all the way back for a touchdown to defeat Florida State and snap their 28 game ACC winning streak. It stung, no pun intended (Yellow Jackets). The only feeling I could equate this loss to was our last ACC loss, against NC State in Raleigh. There are many similarities between the two losses. For one in both games Florida State scored 16 points in the first half and followed it up with a big goose egg in the second half. In both games, Florida State squandered red zone opportunities in the first half that would've possibly put the game away. Lastly, Jimbo Fisher's over-conservative play calling took our offense out of rhythm and led to an offense with no flow throughout both games. Now here's where they the losses are not the exact same yet, the 2012 NC State loss was the best thing to happen to the eventual 2013 National Champion 'Noles. Only time will tell if this Georgia Tech loss will be the best thing to happen to the 2016 version.
This week is a pretty lame slate of games with only one top 25 matchup, but it opens the door for a lot of upsets. Despite this, Chris Fowler presented an interesting stat that foreshadow a potentially crazy day of football:
Last week w/ just 1 ranked matchup this late in reg season: late Nov '09... when 6 RANKED teams lost to UNRANKED! How many lose Saturday?
Of the 18 ranked teams playing unranked teams this weekend, 11 are either playing a team with a winning record or playing as the visiting team. (Upset Saturday?)
Timmy Jernigan's Twitter bio simply reads, "Grown man."
Before the season, I recognized the Seminoles' 2013 recruiting class as a group that needed to rise up and lead this team in 2015. Now that we are halfway through the season, let's take a look at how they have done (hint: they're doing well). Here are six players in order of how great of a 2015 season they've had through six games.
*Nate Andrews and Jalen Ramsey are excluded from this list.
1) #8 Kermit Whitfield (Junior, Wide Receiver)
In past two games Kermit has caught 18 passes. Last season he caught a total of 11. Against Louisville alone, Whitfield surpasses his 2014 yardage total by nearly 30 yards. After his performance against Louisville, he was named ACC receiver of the week. The 5'7" track star has been the most sensational player to emerge from this group and has become an extremely dangerous weapon for Everrett Golson and this offense. Whitfield has accounted for 29 passes for 397 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Travis Porter, if you didn't know, is a hip-hop trio of two step brothers and their friend. They officially joined together back in 2008 and have had hella-catchy, booty shaking hits since their time together. The three will be performing at Florida State's annual preseason event "Jam with Coach Ham" Friday night as a free concert in-between the basketball team's dunk contest, live scrimmage, and other events. This is about the story you didn't know, the behind the scenes look into our friendship with Ali, Quez and Strap. How we helped them along in their musical career and how we convinced them to put on a free concert at in the TLC Double C (Tallahassee Leon County Civic Center) instead of bathing in money and champagne with models all night.
Another week, another 2 game addition to Sean's lead:
Sean: 22-10 JK: 15-17
This week has four top 25 matchups, three of which are between teams in the top 15. Stanford already put a whooping on UCLA last night and gave us what is the play of the year so far. FSU will be getting their win early on Saturday which will give you time to enjoy all of the top 15 matchups. Enjoy your Saturday!
Saturday night was in one word: electric. The boys welcomed in neck-tie-coached rival Miami and continued to dismantle the Hurricanes in front of a stadium full of drunken, rampaging Seminole fans. The game was exciting throughout, and Dalvin Cook put his name in the hat for the Heisman race with his second game of the season with 200+ yards. The unsung hero of this game, however, was 5th-year senior transfer quarterback Everett Golson.
Sean added two games to his early lead with the help of Baylor and Alabama last weekend. This week we have a series of toss-up games that will (hopefully) shake things up for us. As it stands:
Sean: 16-8 JK: 11-13
The Miami game is inconveniently the same time as UF and Mizzou. If you are going to the game you will still have a few matchups to keep an eye on and you can also catch the end of the fighting Goffs of Cal visiting Utah. Here's the eight we'll be paying the most attention to:
Here's Greg Jones running over Sean Taylor. Don't know how we lived without HD.
Do you have a friend that's Gator fan? That one person who has avoided college football conversations for the past couple of years unless they were conference related? That friend who swears orange and blue "aren't that ugly"? I bet that friend has been acting a little differently this week. Their Florida Gators, the ones that are one game above .500 since 2013, absolutely embarrassed what was allegedly the third best team in the country. These Gators are now 4-0 and when you look at the rest of their schedule, there's a great opportunity to make it to the SEC Championship game.
But let's not get ahead of ourselves here Gator fans, I'm here to help you come back down to earth. You're welcome. Don't mention it.
When you hear Gators say they're playoff contenders now...
Eight observations from the first quarter of the regular season.
1. If Ohio State keeps winning they deserve to be #1.
I am a Florida State fan and any 'Nole fan has to relate to what is happening to Ohio State. It is hard to be the defending national champion with a team full of draft eligible juniors and taking every team's best shot. We know the struggle. Are we bitter that we lost our #1 ranking after sub par performances? Yes. But Ohio State keeps winning and that is all they have to do. Personally, I think the quarterback controversy will blow up in their face (URBAN MEYER's face) before this season is over. #TeamJTBarrett
It's Miami week. The biggest home game of the year. Prime time night game in Doak, national television. Sold out Doak Campbell Stadium. Cat 5 maintain. The 3-1 'Canes are currently 9 point underdogs, but we know that any time these two teams play, it is a toss up. To get you excited, well, to put you over the edge of excitement, here's a collection of pictures and videos for your enjoyment.
Sean has been lucky through two weeks of picking games, taking a 3 game lead in the race for root beer. As it stands:
Sean: 10-6 JK: 7-9
This week is packed with eye-opening matchups for you to view from your armchair-quarterback position including 5 games between undefeated teams. Let's take a look at what week 5 has to offer us:
As we close the first quarter of the season, we'll take a look at the road ahead for the Seminoles. Louisville, Georgia Tech, and even Clemson have not been as good as advertised so far, but we will learn a lot about Clemson in the next couple weeks as they host both Notre Dame and Georgia Tech in back-to-back weekends. Let's take a look at the Seminoles' remaining games in order of difficulty:
Sean took a two game lead last week by getting lucky with Northwestern and Ole Miss. This week will give us a series of matchups that will define the Pac-12 landscape along with a few other intriguing games. Let's take a look.
#3 TCU (3-0) @ Texas Tech (3-0) 4:45 FOX
TCU has bounced back since its near-upset in week one but it's defense was suspect last week vs. SMU giving up 508 yards and 37 points. The Red Raiders on the other hand had a nice win over the consistently most overrated team in the nation, Arkansas. Tech is averaging the 3rd most passing yards in the nation and TCU stands at 8 - this game should be hella-entertaining.
Who to root for and why: Texas Tech because Gary Patterson is the second biggest jerk in college football (Harbaugh) and this would be a huge upset, helping FSU's distant playoff chances.
Sean: Texas Tech JK: Texas Tech
When I approach drafting a fantasy team nowadays I look to draft wide receivers more than I do running backs, and honestly it's weird. When I first started doing fantasy football, running backs were all the rage as there seemed to be an abundance of game-changers like LaDainian Tomlinson, Priest Holmes, Larry Johnson, the Tennessee Chris Johnson, Maurice Jones-Drew, a young Adrian Peterson, and I mean the list goes on and on. If you had two of these running backs, your team was stacked and had a good shot of winning the title. Now, there are very few elite running backs and this can be attributed to the college game becoming more spread offense oriented which has ultimately led the NFL to become a pass-happy league. Another issue is the lack of legit running backs coming from the college ranks, but all I have to say is that it will change very soon as the running backs in college football are the most talented group of running backs in a long time. Here are some of the backs that will hopefully bring the running back position's importance back to the NFL.
In his college and professional careers to date, Jameis Winston has never lost to a team lead by someone other than Marcus Mariota. The Rose Bowl was especially painful but let's take a look at just how kryptonite-y he who shall not be named is to Superman Jameis Winston and his team whenever they play each other.
Against That Kid From Hawaii, Jameis and his team committed 7 turnovers and gave up 474 yards per game along with 50.5 points per game. Winston himself has not been himself as well despite an underrated Rose Bowl performance. Let's take a look:
The long anticipated announcement is finally here, Seminole Madness will be held at the Civic Center under a month from now on Friday, October 16th. Renegade Sports has been previewing the future of Florida State basketball since May and now everyone will finally get to see the new talent for the 'Noles in live action. There will be a three point competition, a dunk contest, and a scrimmage for the fans to watch. While we will not be able to form a full opinion just from these events, we will get a preview of what this team could be capable of. Here is a list of 5 things I will be looking for at the event.
5. Have Bojo and Ojo improved? And what will Jean Marc Christ Koumadje provide for this team?
Senior Michael Ojo will be treating fans with his rendition of Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" at the event.
This week we are adding a new twist to our weekly watch guide. From now on, Sean and I will have an on-going bet. Each week we will pick the 8 games and keep a tally going throughout the season, whoever picks the most games correctly will earn a 12-pack of Barq's Root Beer from the other. If this was at all confusing I will simplify it for you: We'll be picking the eight best games and Sean will be buying me a 12-pack of root beer when the regular season is over. Here we go.
#23 Northwestern (2-0) @ Duke (2-0) 12:30, ESPN3 **
This is a big opportunity for Duke and the ACC. Northwestern upset Stanford in one of the ugliest games of the season so far, but if Duke can win this game it will look great for their team and the rest of the conference.
Who to root for and why: DUKE OF COURSE.
Sean's Pick: Northwestern
JK's Pick: Duke
The second week of college football is here with a couple of major match ups and teams looking to let the nation know they are ready to make some noise. Sadly, besides about four games there are no real intriguing match ups or upsets waiting to happen, but it's college football so grab a cold one and get ready for Saturday.
Oregon State @ Michigan (12:00, ABC) ***
Jim Harbaugh and his khakis will make their Ann Arbor debut and I am really hopeful that the students start a trend of wearing khakis to the game. Look for Michigan to win by at least a touchdown as Oregon State struggled with Weber State. There is still a great chance for an upset as Michigan still has a ways to go to become a power once again.
Each week I will put together a guide to enhance your college football weekend. I will list what I think are the 8 best games to watch including kickoff time, TV channel, what to look for, and which team you should root for if you are a Seminole fan. Enjoy.
#4 Baylor at SMU (7:00 on Friday, ESPN)
The Bears are coming in with a lot of hype and after the trouble that their Big 12 counter-part TCU had last night with Minnesota, this could be the first major upset of the season. ** Who to root for and why: SMU, more room in the Playoff.
Virginia at #13 UCLA (3:30, FOX)
Virginia is nowhere near as talented as UCLA, but if you remember back to the beginning of last season, Virginia almost - and probably should've - beat the Bruins. ** Who to root for and why: Virginia, because ACC. Louisville vs #6 Auburn in Atlanta, GA. (3:30, CBS)
This is a neutral site game and Auburn is my pick to win it all this year. Jeremy Johnson will be tested more than you think. Will Louisville spoil that pick for me in the first week? ** Who to root for and why: Louisville, because ACC that's why. #15 Arizona State Texas A&M (7:00, ESPN)
ASU is a trending team this year with a lot of returning weapons on offense and we all know Texas A&M has been the most inconsistent team in the nation these last two years. A&M should be covered in young talent this year with their recent recruiting success. *** Who to root for and why: Doesn't really matter, but I would pick Arizona State because I like them.
Texas at #11 Notre Dame (7:30, NBC)
Both teams are looking to rebound from disappointing seasons in 2014. Notre Dame's offense is by far the better of the two but Texas' defense will present a lot of problems and should keep it close. ** Who to root for and why: Notre Dame. They aren't really in the ACC but they will be playing a lot of teams for the conference, hopefully enhancing our strength of schedule.
#20 Wisconsin vs #2 Alabama in Arlington, TX. (8:00, ABC)
This is the biggest game of the weekend by far, the only top 20 match-up of week 1. Wisconsin would've beaten LSU last season if they didn't fall on their face in the 4th quarter, I can see them giving Alabama a run for their money this year. ****
Who to root for and why: Wisconsin, because upsets are fun. Mississippi State at Southern Miss (10:00, FOXS1)
I, for one, think that Dak Prescott isn't that great. Southern Miss isn't much of a litmus test (3-9 last season) for the Bulldogs, but it is in the Golden Eagle Nest (?) so this could be a pretty big upset. *** Who to root for and why: Southern Miss because they're playing an SEC team.
#1 Ohio State at Virginia Tech (8:00 on Monday, ESPN)
Let's get one thing straight, the Hokies are not a good team and Ohio State is a VERY good team. That being said, "Beamer Ball" may still be a thing and it is not easy to go into Blacksburg and get a W for any team, especially when everyone in the media has practically handed you a playoff bid. ** Who to root for and why: Virginia Tech, but don't get your hopes up, because ACC.
The moment you have all been waiting for. With football season starting tonight, I give you my preseason top 25 teams. Understand one thing, none of these teams have played a single game yet, so there's no doubt in my mind that this list will be totally different in as soon as 2 weeks in the future. Anyways, I based these off of how talented I think the teams actually are right now, not based on how I think their season will play out. Enjoy.
I considered myself an average high school basketball player. This showed in my playing time and now leads to a new segment I write called 10-5-3. Ten for the amount of chest bumps I dished out per game, five for the minutes I played, and three for my one guaranteed swish from downtown. There will be three different lists on a certain topic in sports, this week's is the 2015-2016 college football season. Ten teams that I love this season, five sleeper teams, and three teams that I believe are overrated. Understand that I am not saying all of these teams will have great years and be in the College Football Playoff. Remember, talent alone will not get you to the playoffs, you need a healthy, hungry and focused team each and every week - oh, and a little luck.
Okay. This is definitely a homer pick but I'm not denying the bias. I think we could be really good if Golson and the offense click, as our schedule does not pick up until playing Miami on October 10th. I see the defense being much improved from last year's squad due to a better pass rush and the excellent leadership from Jalen Ramsey. If the 'Noles can escape Atlanta and Clemson, lookout college football because this team is talented - young, but talented.
With football season right around the corner, anticipation is high for the Seminoles to return to the field against Texas State, September 5th. This year, however, there is a different feel about the team. The reason Florida State is expected to take a step back this season is for a variety reasons, many stemming from the talent that is now in the NFL. Jimbo Fisher's 2012 recruiting class is basically all in the NFL now, leaving this 2013 class as the veterans of the team. But if we dig deeper, we see that this top 10 recruiting class, which is heading into its third year, has not produced to the level it was expected to. Outside of Jalen Ramsey and Nate Andrews - whom have both already become stars on defense - let's take a look at the 2013 class and what they have done here at FSU through two years (rankings according to ESPN.com):
Jalen Ramsey remembers, after beating Miami (again), he forgot to feed his pet goldfish before he left.
Being a Freshmen in college is such a beautiful thing with all the freedom, the bars, and obviously the beautiful girls on Florida State's campus. It is likely everyone's most memorable year at any university, but freshmen year can be completely different for athletes at Florida State, especially the football players. These guys can have all the pressure in the world and the speed of the game is often a huge wake up call for players who have always been physically dominant their whole lives. This year's recruiting class has brought a good number of high profile recruits, Johnathan and I watched them practice two Sundays ago and all I can say is that we were very impressed with how big and talented some of these kids were. The future looks bright for Florida State football, below is a brief summary of a few of the freshmen that opened our eyes the most.
#3 Derwin James (Defensive Back 6-3, 212 lbs)
Here at Renegade Sports, we are excited to watch the Derwin James Era begin and we were excited to finally watch him live. Boy, did he not disappoint as Derwin James is everything you could want in a defensive back. Physical Specimen? Yep. High quality trash talk? Yep. That certain swagger that all great FSU defensive backs seem to have? Evidently clear. The last skill was clearly evident when the receivers and defensive backs went at it during board drills and James, not Jalen Ramsey, was making the most noise. At one particular point, Derwin completely dominated sophomore receiver, Ja'Vonn "Pigg" Harrison, and put him on his ass all while somehow knocking his helmet off. "Pigg" was not particularly pleased but James let him know in front of the FSU faithful that he is ready to make some noise this year.
Given the recent struggles on the recruiting trail for the Noles, ex. Isaac Nuata's decommitment, this got every fan all kinds of excited. I was definitely thrilled to see this tweet, but I trust Jimbo on the recruiting trail so whoever he wants, I'm cool with, therefore this news did not change my day. Then at 8:10 PM ET, I saw this tweet and freaked out as the wave of excitement grew:
This past week, I went on my first cruise. Royal Caribbean's Enchantment of the Seas took us to the Bahamas where we visited the islands of Nassau and CocoCay. Eat, drink, swim, drink, snorkel, drink, eat again, drink, swim some more, drink some more... you get the point, it was an amazing time. Throughout the cruise we saw many things, made a lot of memories, and met a lot of people. As if the cruise wasn't already the best thing ever, a very special person happened to be on our boat. The NBA's own league MVP, Stephen Curry.
I just want to start this off by saying "The Other Guys" is an underrated movie in which Will Ferrell and Mark Whalberg's talents are greatly under appreciated by their fellow cops. That is how the Florida State fan base is looking at the Noles returning players. While I cannot wait for the incoming freshmen class's first desk pop, we cannot forget about the veteran 'Noles that will be bringing their experienced office skills to the Civic Center this year. These players and coaches have come under fire the last three years, but with more talented being added to the team, each player's respective skills will shine a little bit brighter this year. Here is a quick rundown of the Seminoles returning cast:
In a season where both the football and basketball teams have brought in top 10 recruiting classes, there is a lot of anticipation surrounding the freshman that will be on campus in the fall. Jimbo Fisher is used to a top-ranked class of newcomers, but this year will also feature an 8th-ranked recruiting class from Leonard Hamilton's basketball team. Despite the fact that the two best players of the class are afraid to play Sean and I, the team should be significantly better than in past seasons with multiple early-impact freshman. There are several stud athletes joining the football and basketball teams of 2015 so let's count down the 8 most anticipated:
8) Deondre Francois - Football
In the fine print of this year's quarterback battle will be a freshman quarterback named Deondre Francois ("Fran-swah"). Francois was rated as a consensus four-star and according to Rivals.com, he is the top passer in the nation. Though he likely will not start this season, I believe that he will be the most talented option at the position. Francois' style reminds me of Clemson's quarterback Deshaun Watson who should be one of the nation's best passers by season's end. Though he will need time, Francois will likely be a huge piece of the Seminole's future.
7) Terance Mann - Basketball
Another player that will be flying slightly under the radar will be Mr. Terrance Mann. He is rated as the third best player in this class and while most fans know about Beasley and Bacon, he will also bring a lot to the table for Leonard Hamilton's team. The 6'5" combo guard was rated as a four star prospect by ESPN.com, the 86th best player in the nation. Mann will add to an extremely deep FSU backcourt full of length, scoring, and highlight dunks.
6) Josh Sweat - Football
Sweat was one of many early enrollees that have been on campus since January but he did not participate in the spring due to a knee injury from his senior year. Before the injury, Sweat was regarded as the top football player in the nation. The 6'5", 240-lb defensive end runs a 4.46 40-yard dash and is eerily similar to a Jadaveon Clowney-type pass rusher. Sweat was expected to redshirt this season due to his injury but was recently seen participating in the Lift For Life fundraiser:
— Wayne McGahee III (@WayneMcGaheeIII) July 23, 2015
5) Jacques Patrick - Football
The 6'3", 233-lb running back out of Orlando was rated as a five-star prospect by Rivals and the 49th overall player in the 2015 class. After out-sprinting the entire defense in the spring game, Patrick has a lot of Seminole fans looking for him to be the second coming of Greg Jones. While he does not (yet) have the size of the Seminole great, Patrick does seem to have more speed to him and should be a great complement to an extremely deep stable of running backs for Jimbo to work with.
4) George Campbell - Football
Campbell is another early-enrolled freshman that opened eyes in the Spring Game. In the first quarter he took a pass from JJ Cosentino, shed two would-be tacklers and ran 60 yards past the entire defense for a touchdown. Campbell was the 7th ranked player in the country and top-rated athlete in the class according to ESPN.com. At 6'4", 190, Campbell runs a 4.36 40-time and should be able to contribute early.
3) Malik Beasley - Basketball
Beasley is one of two top 30 players in the Seminoles' 2015 basketball recruiting class. Between the two, he may be the best athlete - he was in the Ballislife All-American Dunk Contest and took off from the free throw line. The four-star shooting guard led his team to back to back state titles in high school while averaging 22.2 points and 6.9 rebounds as a senior. At 6'4", Beasley is one of many superior scorers that make the future of the program very enticing.
2) Derwin James - Football
I have already talked about his freakish athleticism in a previous piece, but Derwin James is everything you are looking for in a safety. Rivals.com national recruiting director Mike Farrell was quoted as saying, "He's got as high a ceiling as any safety that I've ever seen in my 15 years covering high school football." The early-enrollee has already made a splash on the field with a pick-six in this past year's spring game. James resembles the leader of the defense Jalen Ramsey with his competitiveness, ball skills, and bruising hits and he should be an excellent addition to a defense that struggled for the better part of last season.
1) Dwayne Bacon - Basketball
Dwayne Bacon has to be number one on this list for one main reason - he is the highest rated basketball recruit that the 'Noles have ever brought in. The consensus five-star McDonald's All-American shooting guard is ready to turn the Seminole basketball program into a national power. At 6'6", Bacon is one of the most elite scorers in the 2015 class and is the face of the Seminoles' first top 10 recruiting class in school history, he also won the McDonald's All-American dunk contest. He can score in a number of ways and, along with the help from the rest of the recruiting class, will make coach Hamilton's job a lot easier for the foreseeable future.
Everyone just hates on college basketball hardcore, but then come March they are in love with it. Yeah, maybe the madness part helps ratings, but college basketball is still alive and well. There are still some major issues, however, and the NCAA has finally stepped in and made some major changes. I love college basketball so I am ecstatic about the upcoming season and how the rule changes will effect the game. Why am I writing about these rule changes with college football right around the corner (PRAISE JESUS)? Because #basketballneverstops. These rule changes could help the Civic Center and Nole Nation rock all year long, even deep into March. People will mainly notice the change in the shot clock from 35 seconds to 30 seconds, but many other rule changes have been put into place to help the flow of the game.
Derwin James is one of the most highly anticipated recruits in Florida State history. He committed to the Seminoles way back in 2012 and has stayed true to his word since becoming an early enrollee in January. James even got a Seminole tattoo on his arm to show his loyalty in high school. He is rated higher than any other safety recruit coming out of high school has ever been according to Rivals.com. The buzz in this town is quite often centered around the football team, and with a 29-1 record the past two years and a freshman class such as Jimbo's latest led by James, there is certainly a lot of excitement around the program.
On May 7th, 2015, I replied to a tweet sent by Malik Beasley informing his followers that he was headed to Tallahassee for the weekend. For whatever reason, Mr. Beasley did not respond to my request to play him one on one (below).
According to 247Sports.com, Malik is a 5-star shooting guard. The 6'4" Georgia product chose to come to Tallahassee for his college career over 30+ other major programs. Beasley is one of the best athletes and scorers in the 2015 class and now that he is on campus, I want to see what he's made of on the court.
Yesterday, I called Mr. Beasley out again. This time I told him he could have help from McDonald's All-American Dwayne Bacon in a 2 on 2 matchup against Sean and I. The only response we received was a favorite of our tweet. That's nice and all, but it's not what we were looking for. Bacon is yet to acknowledge our challenge:
This brings me to the question, why won't Malik Beasley and Dwayne Bacon play us? Maybe they don't respect us? Maybe coach Ham won't let them? Maybe they are too busy posterizing people? Maybe they just don't like the match-up and are scared? Let's take a look at a few reasons as to why, I think, they refuse to play us:
1) Sean is a physically-intimidating force.
At 5'10" and 185-lbs, Sean is an impressive physical specimen. As if his natural size wasn't enough, he adds strength, quickness, and athleticism. He can bench roughly 145-lbs, which may be somewhat impressive considering he hasn't worked out since high school. He couples his physical stature with an above-average basketball IQ - Steve Nash-esque - along with streaky shooting. In his senior year he hit two straight threes coming off of the bench in a packed house against our cross-town rival Chiles. We called him the microwave because, well, the dude heats up fast from downtown. Above all of his attributes, Sean has a D1-level competitiveness and intensity when he plays, which once made a dude cry. It's understandable that the two Florida State recruits would be hesitant of the match up since Sean is now involved.
Professional athletes have always been super-hero-like figures in our society. Fans everywhere admire them for their elite skills and talents and sometimes, their excellent personalities. Most athletes are freakish in size and physical stature which is often a reason we, as spectators, admire them, some are so huge that they are terrifying.
It's not always just that they are big, but maybe they also have a sketchy personality, a scary voice, an "I want to eat you" expression on their face or maybe it's just the way they play. These are the athletes you wouldn't invite over for dinner with your family, the ones that opponents have nightmares about, and the last ones you would want to run into in a dark alley. So let me introduce you to the nine athletes that scare me the most.
Shawn Oakman
Oakman is the definition of a grown ass man. At 6'9" 280, he is the most intimidating player college football has to offer. After this picture of Oakman at last season's Cotton Bowl coin toss surfaced on the internet, twitter proceeded to explode with hilarious meme-age. He also dyes his mohawk before games for an added effect.
Seminole sports have been an enormous part in my life and I wouldn't change that for the world. My passion in sports is basketball, but nothing compares to Saturdays in the Fall at Doak Campbell Stadium. The first season I remember is Chris Rix's first year (2001-2002), I know I came in at the wrong time. My fan-hood began in the "Lost Decade", but remembering those years is what made the 2013 championship so special. Today, I will introduce you to my ten favorite players that I've had the privilege to watch (2001-present).
We are just under two months away from the most wonderful time of the year. No, not Christmas, College Football Season. With (I think) 53 days until our beloved Seminoles kickoff, let's take a look at my very, very early top 10 teams in the upcoming season:
#10 Clemson
The Tigers return freshman-phenom DeShaun Watson along with one of the best receiving corps in the nation. They lost a lot on the defensive side of the ball from last season but still have talent to step up. Their schedule also sets up very nicely with three of their biggest games at home.
Key Games: vs Notre Dame, vs Georgia Tech, vs Florida State, @ South Carolina
It has been quite a few years since the Minnesota Timberwolves were a relevant power. In fact, you could argue that it's been over a decade, with their last playoff appearance being way back in 2004. Established in '89, the 'Wolves have had a rough franchise history centered mostly around two great power forward's named Kevin, but is that about to change?
Finally, the moment you've all been waiting for...my "Renegadies." I do not watch the Office quite like Johnathan, but we wanted to do some form of NBA awards when the season was over and here we are. Hopefully I can beat him in page views because I know that will keep him up at night. Here are my "Renegadies":
Individual Renegadies
THE MOST RANDOM SPONSORSHIP AWARD sponsored by the Washington State Flag : Nik Stauskas, Sacramento Kings (BUT NOW MY 76ERS).
What was a media blip turned into a nickname for Mr. Stauskas and he and the Kings ran with it. Sauce Castillo is the nickname, and the Kings even made a hot sauce for a promotional night. It is random, but it really gets the people going, and I cannot wait to yell this every time he hits a three next year for my 76ers!
In the past few years, teams have really reached to stick out from competition. Putting a team on the field that loses often doesn't help do that, so teams will resort to a variety of other eye-grabbers. New scoreboards, indoor facilities, and new locker rooms are just a few ways of hiding your teams underachieving, but the most in-your-face way to to cover it up is with new flashy new uniforms.
I think entirely way too much about uniforms throughout the games I watch - in all sports - and it often dictates which teams I want to win. Today, I will take you through a few of the best and worst uniforms that I've seen in today's college football world. There are some great ideas, and some atrocious ones if you ask me (which you didn't, but you're reading this, so you kind of did), but they are all interesting. Here we go.
The Bad
All of Maryland's Uniforms in the Past Few Years.
The best example of a uniform cover-up (20-30 record the last four years), Maryland football is the definition of trying too hard. They are Under Armor's test subject, their poster boys, and Under Armor is failing miserably if you ask me. Maryland has tried a variation of clown costumes including grey, white, yellow, black and just about anything else you can think of involving their loud state flag. Oh, and the first ever uniforms (that I know of) to look completely different from each side, which could potentially be a cool idea, but also just plain pointless.
Opposite of Sean's Sixers, the Celtics are a guard heavy team. I wasn't very happy with the overall outcome of the draft, initially, because we were unable to bring in a potential super-star, but the more I learn about the incoming players, the more excited I get.
Jahlil Okafor could have been an excellent addition to this Celtics team. He and Jared Sullinger would have made for an extremely fun duo down low. However, the Sixers would not budge on their top pick, forcing us to stay where we were with the 16th spot. I believe in Brad Stevens and think he is one of the best coaches in the league in just his second season, let's take a look his new players.
I love this guy. I got to watch him torch my 'Noles from court-side seats. I noticed how professional and smooth he was as a person and a player. Brad Stevens believes he is an "elite-level toughness, athleticism and drive" which is a great addition to any team. He had an excellent career at Louisville, playing on the biggest stages that college basketball had to offer scoring, 17 points per game and playing a majority of the season (35 min/game). Though Rozier looks kind of slow, he is deliberate in his movements, has an excellent motor, and has the ability to take over a game. I told Sean a few months ago that he was probably my favorite player in the draft, so, despite him being picked a little too early for my taste, I am excited that he is a Celtic.
My weekend began Thursday afternoon as my girlfriend, Johnathan, and I headed down to Miami to celebrate a friend's wedding. We left around three and I proceeded to search the internet for a Lakers report that had Jahlil Okafor going to Los Angeles. All I could find were rumors that the Lakers were split between Okafor and D'Angelo Russell (my boy), I was very nervous from about 6:15 till the Lakers pick. Then it happened. I was hit with a Woj bomb and my dreams of D'Angelo running the city of Philadelphia for future years were crushed. You can ask anyone in that car, I was devastated for a good six hours - but I had still had hope.
Jahlil Okafor is going to be a stud in this league for a very long time. I know people are very critical, given we already have Nerlens Noel, Joel Embiid, and Dario Saric, but the Sixers made the right pick. Okafor gives Philly a legit scoring option and I believe he fits perfectly alongside Noel. There are maybe four people in the world that truly know what is wrong with Embiid's foot, and due to the uncertainty surrounding it, I believe that Hinkie and company had to take Okafor.
We are a tad bit late to the party because Sean and I had
our own partying to do in Miami, celebrating a friend’s wedding (and embarrassing his South Florida friends on the court). That being said, we have a lot to share about
the NBA Draft. Be aware that Sean is extremely upset about Russell being
swooped by the Lakers, also I am not too pleased with the Celtics' decisions. Our
biggest takeaway from the draft, however, was a joint bandwagon enrollment for
Renegade sports. We have fallen in love with the Minnesota Timberwolves. We
will explain that and many more topics this week in a few pieces we have
planned along with our very first podcast that we expect to have up by the end
of the week. Until then, here are our draft grades.
Atlanta Hawks
Picks: Marcus Eriksson (50th), Dimitrios
Agravanis (59th)
Grade: D. Traded away the 15th pick Kelly Oubre
who has as much potential as any wing player in this draft and would’ve been a
great fit. Plus, "Oubre" is fun to say so that only hurts them in the long run.
I considered myself an average high school basketball player. This showed in my playing time and will lead to a new segment I'll write called 10-5-3. Ten for the amount of chest bumps I dished out per game, five for the minutes I played per game, and three for my one guranteed swish from downtown. There will be three different lists on a certain topic in sports, this week's is the NBA Draft. Ten players that I love in the draft, five sleepers, and three that I see as boom-or-bust are today's categories. Karl Anthony-Towns, Jahlil Okafor, and D'Angelo Russell (I have already mentioned my love for Russell's game here) will be excluded from the article as I believe all three are givens and will have good careers in the association. Understand that I do not expect all of these players will be All-Stars, but they will be, in my opinion, five to ten year pros in the league. I expect them to be difference makers when it comes to making the playoffs, winning a game 7, or winning the Finals.
Ten Players that I Love
1. Justise Winslow, Duke, Small Forward, 6-6 225
Many people question if Winslow shoots the ball well enough to be an elite wing in the NBA, but shooting is a skill that can develop if the work is put in and Winslow will definitely work to improve his shooting. He will be an All-NBA caliber defender, play his tail off night in and night out, and he will win his team the games they have no business being in. Winslow will play in the league for 10+ years and should consistently be on a playoff team.
The first episode of The Office's second season gave us one of the greatest award ceremonies in American history - The Dundies. Michael Scott says The Dundies are all about, "the best in all of us", but our awards will have a different twist. Now that the NBA season is over, Sean and I will look back at the year with our un-creatively-named, "Renegadies". A mix of poorly named awards for NBA players which we have, fairly or unfairly, stereotyped.
Here are mine:
Individual Renegadies:
THE MOST FLAMBOYANT HAIR AWARD Sponsored by The Weeknd: Elfrid Payton, Orlando.
I am not sure how Payton is immune to the dead animal that resides on the top of his head but he overcame it all season to average 8.9 PPG, 6.5 APG, and 4.3 RPG, not a bad rookie season.THE
Florida State basketball is a big deal to me, mainly because I have a weird obsession with college basketball along with this dream that FSU will be a consistent contender in the ACC. We will never be a basketball school, and I have accepted that, but I believe we can become a serious threat in the ACC year in and year out. The first step in becoming a consistent contender is bringing in strong recruiting classes every year and developing that talent. The 2014-2015 recruiting class on paper may be the best recruiting class in Florida State history, with the likes of 5-star Dwayne Bacon, 5/4-star Malik Beasley, 4-star Terrance Mann, 3-star Christ Koumadje, and JUCO All-American Benji Bell. This class is the most hyped recruiting class in FSU history that I can remember and they address FSU's biggest needs with their scoring and depth. But the thing with recruiting is that it never stops, and before the 2014-2015 class takes the court, the coaching staff is already well on their way to locking up another top 10 class.
Florida State has four seniors with Devon Bookert, Montay Brandon, Michael Ojo, and Boris Bojanovsky, so they will have at least four scholarships available. I think they could end up having two more available because I believe Xavier Rathan-Mayes will go pro next year and possibly Dwayne Bacon as our first one and done depending on how he plays next year. There could also be transfers, so this recruiting class is the most important class in Leonard Hamilton's tenure. If the Seminoles can turn a great recruiting class into an NCAA Tournament appearance while playing in the best conference in college basketball, I believe they could really start to make some noise nationally on the recruiting trail. Below I will discuss the two commitments they currently have, and the other prospects they wish to land.
