Archive for October 2007
Jeff Cameron of 1270 AM did his show today from the FSU basketball facility. Cameron had a chance to sit down for a lengthy chat with Leonard Hamilton as well as some short interviews with some of the team.
Here are some highlights of those interviews.
Hamilton looks for his team to be a little more uptempo this year. Not necessarily to shoot the ball however. In the past that was the goal of the transition game particularly in out of bounds plays where scoring right out of that was the objective. This season while they will look to shoot quicker and not milk the shot clock as much we should expect to see a team more focused on the primary and secondary breaks strictly to force the tempo of the game in the Seminoles’ favor.
Once the ball is up the floor Hamilton will want his team to move the ball more than last season where FSU utilized far more set plays that the coach likes to use. “We run a system that is difficult for us to defend in practice”, said Hamilton. Translation: it will be difficult for opponents to defend as well. To run that motion offense expect a rotation of at least nine players.
Hamilton believes his team is buying into the concept of “if I create for you, you create for me”. Using that concept his hopes are that FSU can have a team of possibly five players averaging 10 to 15 ppg.
Right now he feels the team is a good catch and shoot team but not as efficient shooting off the dribble. That’s where new assistant coach Corey Williams comes in. He has been working exclusively with the players in learning to shoot the ball off movement. Williams also brings knowledge of the Macon GA area a location where Hamilton would like to strengthen recruiting ties. Williams came to FSU from Oklahoma State, played for the Chicago Bulls earning a ring. He was also drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs despite never playing football. His 4.2 forty speed was a factor in attracting the Chiefs attention.
Andy Enfield meanwhile works with the team in shooting off the catch.
As has been the case since coming to FSU Stan Jones works with the post players.
The head coach feels his team has improved in many areas including shooting and turnovers. And while improved Hamilton thinks the team could do a little better in finding the open man. The understanding of the principles appears to be there in his estimation. It just lacks the execution Hamilton desires.
Practices also include installing various other systems such as presses, various zone defenses, and of course his favorite defense, the man to man. To assist in the learning process each scrimmage is filmed, broken down, and shown to the players for review with the coaches.
4
Starting Wednesday night October 31, FSU begins Hamilton’s sixth season in tipping off in an exhibition game against the University of West Florida. Even though it is an exhibition game Hamilton will ask his team to treat it as a practice but with the goal of winning as well. Tip off at the Civic Center is at 7:00 PM.
Touching on this season’s schedule the staff scheduled teams they felt would give them a chance at making the NCAA tournament. While it may not appear to be the toughest schedule there are various obstacles on it. But to address the weakness issue Hamilton explained that there were no returning scorers over 10 ppg. His thought was that the team did not yet deserve or had earned a schedule of that caliber.
Looking ahead to the 2008-2009 season Hamilton mentioned the Seminoles will have home games against Pittsburgh, Providence, and of course that team from Gainesville. Some of the road schedule will feature games at California and at Cincinnati.
As for this squad he likes the senior leadership of Toney Douglas, Isaiah Swann, Jason Rich, and Ralph Mims. Add to that the returning players of Uche Echefu who you can expect to see used at the perimeter again on offense and Casaan Breeden. Breeden will see his role expanded and be used at the three spot unlike last season where he backed up Al Thornton. It was not a position suited for Breeden. According to the coach, Breeden will see time mostly coming off the bench.
As for the freshmen, Solomon Alibi, Julian Vaughn, and Jordan DeMercy should be expected to make significant contributions. The other freshman, Chris Blake, the coach is not quite ready yet and will be brought along slowly.
Speaking on Alabi for some minutes Hamilton mentioned that in addition to the stress fracture in Alabi’s leg, the Nigerian center also had a case of malaria. That was actually a blessing in disguise as the fracture was not known at the time. Recovering from malaria actually helped the leg heal to the point it was well on its way upon entering school. An x-ray the other day confirmed it is almost entirely healed. Conditioning though will be an issue for Solomon. In the meantime they were able to work with his shot; all sorts of shots. And Alabi has responded well in developing a better shot. Free throw shooting apparently is very good as well as Hamilton said “he almost never misses a free throw”. But even a lack of practice time has not inhibited Alabi’s learning curve as he has absorbed what he has seen the team practice well enough to walk through it perfectly.
All three players interview, Breeden, Swann, and Douglas, were all upbeat about the upcoming season as you would expect. Breeden is excited about his role. Swann was his usual confident demeanor. And Douglas who knows he can shoot will look to get everyone involved in the offense. One comment made by Cameron was actually from Mims who noted in pick up games over the summer how much harder Douglas is to defend now.
As FSU fans know when Douglas went down with an injury last season that greatly impacted the ‘Noles chances of making the NCAA. Backing up Toney will again be Mims. But after that you may see Swann who Hamilton says his ball handling is greatly improved over the failed experiment of a couple of seasons ago with Zeke was utilized at the point guard spot.
Lastly, Hamilton understands the fans frustration with not making the NCAA since 1998. Not using it as an excuse Hamilton admitted that they just were not prepared for the departure of two players to the NBA and one player who never made it to Tallahassee. The program just unfortunately was not in a position to absorb those kinds of personnel losses like say a UNC could. But they are working to avoid that kind of situation in the future.
In the words of Jim Cramer… it’s time for the lightning round!!! Boooyah!!!
Xavier Lee is toast for the next two games. He can practice, but won’t travel with the team. So you can pick one of the following, A) It’s a scam, B) Grades, C) Something really stupid D) None of the Above or E) All of the Above. Your guess is as good as mine.
Who will be #2 on the depth chart for the next two games? I’ll guess Ponder. What’s your best guess?
In case you’re under a rock, WR Richard Goodman is out for the regular season with a broken ankle.
The running game is improving, but they’ve also faced two of the worst run defenses in the ACC.
Preston Parker is a stud. His game-breaking days are just around the corner.
Sorry for the delay, and the picture quality… my camera isn’t so hot for the night games. And forget the fact that the game made me want to fall asleep, much like Randy.
Randy Bartley
I felt like that first half was a reeeeaaaalll snoozefest. It was terrible. I will add I had a little help in my tiredness (kitten alarm clock that goes off at 5 AM every weekend and a long day of tailgating), but Doak seemed half-dead throughout the entire first half of that game. I’m not saying the second half was a lot better, but The World Renowned Marching Chiefs seemed to wake me up. It’s bad when halftime may have been the highlight of the game. We seemed to moving the ball with relative easy at times, with short passes and small runs (when there weren’t penalties). I was fighting to stay interested in the game for most of the first half. It seemed like the crowd was even getting up off the bleachers that much to cheer the team on.
But I guess those who did show up to the game should be thanked for their attendance. A bigger thanks goes to those of you who decided to participate in the black out. I know Duke isn’t necessarily the most entertaining game anyone can think of, and it was a 8 PM kick off, but come on. I almost feel like if it wasn’t Homecoming weekend, the stadium would have been that much emptier. And as for the whole black out, WHY would you schedule it for homecoming??? Homecoming should be a time when the stadium is packed with garnet and gold, not black. I guess the only good that came out of the scheduling was that it wasn’t a 3 o’clock game when it was 95+ outside.
I’d like to mention, wow, can we break off a big run without a holding call. It’s at the point of being ridiculous. During the Miami game my friend and I actually sat and counted 3 runs in a row that there were no penalties. Needless to say the fourth run was a big gain and the yellow flag came flying out. I’m going on the record and saying we’re all right there with you Bobby, we all want to shoot someone after watching this repetitive stupidity. It’s bad when you have a penalty long run and you almost expect the offense to jump off sides. Hopefully the off-season will bring more strength training, so that the O-line doesn’t have the need to make up for getting beaten at the line so much. This team has been killing itself all year with its lack of discipline. I have no statistics on this, but have to be near the top in the nation for penalties.
I’d like to end with a “I told you so.” Those who read the site regularly will recall that I said my article would be terrible today from the pressure of sitting next to the boss. Man that was pressure. I feel like Xavier Lee right now. I’m pretty sure that this is the fourth straight paragraph I’m throwing into the ground four yards in front of my receivers. Who knows, maybe my fans will chant for my return if my replacement misspells “hte.”
Free Hug Fridays at Boston College? Say what?
Hmm… this sounds like a scam for average dude to hug hot chicks… maybe they’re not to stupid up there.
1. Duke, winless, zero, zippo, nada in its last 22 games and a 6-41 record under Ted Roof …. It’s what’s for Homecoming.
2. HEY, unlike last year when FSU wore them, maybe those black uniforms aren’t so bad after all!
3. There is absolutely no truth whatsoever to the wild rumor that a new sign is to placed on Doak Campbell Stadium that would read “Welcome to Doak S. Campbell – Home of the Field Goal”.
4. In summing up FSU’s redzone offense came this comment shortly after the game ended from Bobby Bowden to Tom Block, “You can see what we need to work on.” Can we assume he was not referring to field goals?
5. Memo to the ACC refs: OK, we know you have the holding call down pat. Can you move on to something else now? Which prompted Bowden to say after yet another long TD run by FSU was called back because of a holding call, “Makes you want to shoot people.” If by people he means the refs, then yes it does.
6. With Larry Coker in the booth as color commentator for ESPNU’s coverage of the game came this assessment of the former Hurricane coach from Mrs. BFT. “Coker is as dull as dishwater.” I’m guessing that means she wasn’t exactly enamored with Larry’s performance.
7. Interviewing Charlie Ward in the radio booth Gene Deckerhoff asked the former Heisman Trophy winner “After 14 years what do you notice different about Bobby?” After a thoughtful pause Ward responded “He might be a little older.” OUCH!!!!
8. The Gene Deckerhoff slight exaggeration (like Gene never exaggerates) of the game: Following a crushing hit to Duke QB Thaddeus Lewis, “He knocked that “T” off of Thaddeus.”
9. If you listen to Deckerhoff at all you’ve certainly heard his trademark “5, 3, 2, 1 touchdown Florida State!” Just a thought here, but why do our players always skip the four yard line? Of course with Preston Parker’s two TDs last night Deckerhoff called it as “10, 5, 3, 2, 1”. Man, that’s a heck of a first step by Parker.
10. With the camera catching a brief shot of Boston College QB Matt Ryan about to lose his lunch and/or dinner following his game winning TD pass, it’s a dadgum good guess that there were many Hokie fans in stands that were having a collective regurgitation process at that moment as well.
Bonus Irreparably Random and Factually Meaningless Thoughts
11. Wake Forest head coach Jim Grobe reportedly has a saying he tells his team that goes something like “Play like your hair is on fire”. I guarantee you if my hair is on fire I’m definitely NOT going to be thinking about playing football. Maybe that’s why FSU lost to them. Twice! Or why so many other teams have as well. They are all too distracted by all those flaming chapeaus.
12. If you missed Georgia RB Knowshon Moreno’s celebration dance on the sidelines following his game clinching touchdown against the gatros (their …) aka crocs of XXVI be assured you will not be seeing him on Dancing With the Stars anytime soon.
13. The aforementioned lizards have a player on the team. He hasn’t had much said about him at all. You might have heard of him. Tim Tebow. Anyone hear of him? (Ben Stein impersonation on) Anyone? Anyone at all? (Ben Stein impersonation off.)
14. The Most Bizarrely Dressed Fan Award goes to the Oregon fans who I swear look like they were wearing banana suits.
15. From Fox News Kelly Wright commenting on the Colorado Rockies being down 0-3 in the World Series, “They have a long mountain to climb.” A long mountain? Well, I guess that fits. Probably not a lot of hills in Colorado.
Boston College’s Matt Ryan should be the front runner for the Heisman Trophy. In other years he wouldn’t be, but there’s no clear cut player in 2007, Ryan is the best of the pack.
For those screaming for Richardson or Ponder, why get them killed behind the turnstiles we call an offensive line?
Randy should have some good rants and raves next week, he’s sitting with me for the “blackout.”
Why are their 17 types of Dri-Fit, none of which feel like the same material?
I really shouldn’t get so worked up about Gridiron Dynasty, it’s a bunch of sim-players for crying out loud.
The Hokies, as usual are overrated chokers. Let’s hope they keep that up when FSU visits in a couple of weeks.
Erin Andrews looked like a drowned rat last night. A perky, blond drowned rat, but a drowned rat nonetheless.
Is it possible that the ACC Title game could be B.C. vs. Virginia?
Why are SEC fans so afraid of actually discussing the ACC? They can’t do it without insults generally, why?
Jortsfest 2007 in Jacksonville this weekend. Also known as the “automatic” win written down by the Gators each year over Georgia. I’m just sayin’.
As bad as things are lately, I’m still very thankful that I’m a Seminole.
By Bill Kristoph
1. Keep reminding yourselves that it doesn’t really matter who the FSU QB is right now. There are 100 different little things that the team is doing wrong, QB is just a part of it. Please support whoever is on the field, and let’s not turn this into a boo-fest.
2. If it doesn’t go so well against Duke in the beginning, please don’t boo the team. If, however FSU manages to be 0-2 in the black uniforms at the end of the night, feel free. It’s Duke football. In fact, if the Blue Devils pull off an upset, they should be invited to tear down the Doak Campbell Stadium goal posts, no questions asked. (Either that or they should take a lesson fro Appy State who, upon a road victory over Michigan, went to their own goalposts and tore those down.)
3. Good luck reading the numbers on those black jerseys at night, it was bad enough during a day game last year against B.C. Garnet numbers on a black jersey doesn’t work well if your not in the first 15 rows, or not watching the game on TV.
4. If you’re not going to the game, give your tickets to a Seminole fan. There’s nothing more depressing that seeing Doak Campbell Stadium with a bunch of empty seats.
5. Wear some freakin’ black to the game if you’re going. Personally, I don’t like the blackout, but I’m supporting the efforts of the students and university to do it, both through ScalpEm.com and by wearing a black FSU shirt Saturday night.
Sometimes it’s just more fun to look for inspiration things and sometimes we have to look to our past for that, so here are some clips that will make you smile:
Puntrooskie with Bobby Bowden’s breakdown of the play:
Rix to Sam against UF with Gene’s play-by-play:
And a little inspiration from the basketball team:
You gotta love it when a Duke fan makes a video about the football team seeking redemption…