Champs Sports Bowl: More Of The Same
Posted by NoleCC
First a few Previews for the game:
Tomahawk Nation: Champs Sports Bowl Preview
Chant Rant: FSU To Shake N Bake?
Tallahassee Democrat: Steve Ellis’s Blog on the Beautiful City and Ugly Stadium
Enjoyed those? Great. On to different thoughts.
Looking back at 2008… it was a crappy year. The economy sucks, crime is up, unemployment is up and the more things change at FSU, FSU Football, Seminole Boosters, Inc. and company, the more they stay the same. The Noles, yet again, will not have a double digit win season, even if they manage to beat Wisconsin tomorrow afternoon in Orlando. Bobby Bowden, and likely Mickey Andrews will be back next season. Jimbo Fisher played the “I’m not going to flat out say I’m not going somewhere else, but I’m not going somewhere else” game. Chuck Amato, well hell I dunno what Chuck is doing these days as Assistant, or associate, or something – something – something or other head coach something, especially when you look at the Linebackers collective lack of effort this season.
No, nothing’s changed for Seminole fans, so don’t expect anything different on Saturday at the Champs Sports Bowl. Another non-BCS, non-New Year’s Day bowl game. It’s going to be exactly what we’ve seen all season. The Noles offense is going to look competent at times and crappy at others. The defense is going to give up too many yards to the Wisconsin rushing game, and the game will be much closer than it should be. FSU matches up well with Wisconsin, but because of the lack of cohesion amongst the coaching staff, gameplan, etc. it won’t. It’ll be mediocre, just like 2007, 2006, 2005… well you get the idea.
For the first time that I can remember, (granted I had food poisoning or the stomach flu last weekend) I FORGOT that FSU had a bowl game on Saturday until I saw the ESPN ad on Tuesday night. FORGOT! Maybe that’s why I’m not quite as angry as Tomahawk Nation is about the whole thing, I’ve watched too much of it over the last 7-8 seasons to be upset anymore. I’ve accepted mediocrity. I’ve accepted the fact that Seminole Boosters is never going to put my Bullpen Club donation in the right pot on the first try, nor will Bobby Bowden do the right thing for the FSU Football program and walk away. I’m not proud that I’ve accepted these things, but as I get older I’ve realized what I can and cannot change. FSU Football’s direction is one of those things I can’t change.
So I’ll watch on Saturday from the friendly confines of my couch, thanks to the economy. But I’m not going to freak out of FSU loses. I’ll be happy if they win (my prediction, btw is that they will by 7). And, I’ll probably laugh a bit when Fisher gets pissed off at that awful Christian Ponder INT, or Bobby looks puzzled when Antone Smith rips off a big run only to be called back by an offensive holding penalty. And I’ll feel sad for Drew Weatherford one last time, when I see him holding a clipboard, signaling plays and wearing a headset in his final game as a Seminole. Maybe if I’m lucky we’ll get to see one more Graham Gano long bomb field goal before the Lou Groza Award winner leaves.
Frankly the most exciting aspect of the game for me is the 5-layer dip my fiancee promised to make.
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Nancy on 
Nole4ever on 
Abe Fr0man on 
MMMM 5 layers
Glad you’re feeling better, Scalp. GO NOLES!!
No open thread??? BOOOOOOOO!
“Even if they manage to beat Wisconsin…” I’d have to say that we more than managed… Although it wasn’t a pretty game, with penalties galore, we did “manage” to beat them, and not just by a hair either. It’s too bad you couldn’t be there, because the atmosphere was electric, and true Seminole fans were there to support their team. Graham Gano was amazing, you should have heard the crowd when the ball stuck, literally stuck on the 1 yard line without a bounce or so much as a whimper ( and he would manage to get it within the 5 yard line 2 more times.) Drew Weatherford did play, and the crowd cheered his name, and Bobby’s at the end of the game. So, while you were at home on your couch eating your wife’s 5 layer dip ( better hope you don’t get food poisoning again,) real Seminole fans were out there cheering on their team to a 42-13 win. (I’d say your 7 point lead prediction was a little off, but then again so is the idea that you are a true Seminole)
Anon,
I’m glad you took the trouble to come back and take some season joy in trying to get a rise out of me. I’ll be frank, I got to see everything you mentioned through the wonderful magic of HDTV. Sure, my prediction was off, so were many others. They’re just out there for fun.
As for the attack on me not being a “True” Seminole, perhaps by your definition I’m not. Although starting a website back in 2004 to talk about them, seems to be something a true fan would do. Not missing a home game in 11 years is also something a true fan would do. But again, for the droves of fans that chose to stay home this bowl season for various reason, I’m glad that you, Anonymous, went to that bowl game to be a true fan. Good job sir or madam, I’ll sleep better tonight knowing that you’re out there.
Next time you stop by, leave a name and an email. I’m happy to have all opinions here, especially when people stand by what they say.
Congratulations on never missing a home game in 11 years, and starting a very successful website, honestly who can boast that? The fact that you didn’t show up for the bowl game, is no real biggie I suppose. The tickets weren’t cheap, and it wasn’t at home, so I can understand that you couldn’t make it, nor did you want to (5 layer dip is good.) The point is, “don’t expect anything different on Saturday at the Champs Sports Bowl,” is not the way to look at things. I’m a senior at FSU, so I know we’ve come to expect less than anything good coming out of a football season, but when the opportunity arises, why be such a pessimist? Yeah, Ponder is often times a joke, and poor Smith can’t make a play without a penalty being called on some idiot in the back, but things will turn around and you can’t be stuck in this negative spat of yours. “I’m not proud that I’ve accepted these things…” And you shouldn’t be, and either should anyone else. It’s a tough road and ALL teams have their years of glory and years of scratching the bottom of the bucket. I think we most certainly hit the bottom but were on our way back up, slowly (very slowly) but surely. Being a senior at FSU you better believe that I would have loved to see us in a better bowl game, but after the past few years of dismal playing, I’m happy to end on our “mediocre” high note.
And yes sir, I stand by what I say… So, go have that good night of sleep
-Jenna
Jenna,
I’ll throw your email up into the comment title so you don’t get spammed… you don’t have to leave it in the post, but I like it when people leave it in the e-mail part of the comment form (even though it’s not required). That way I can always copy you on a response I leave here.
FSU football notes… thanks for coming back and commenting again. If you ever want to write an article for the site, I encourage it. All you have to do is submit it to me. Congrats on being a senior, I hope the remainder of the year is good to you and that you have luck finding work out there post graduation!
I guess my frustrations really root in the 2001-2007 years, because as much as this year wasn’t as bad (I believe my words to friends were, I didn’t dread watching the offense anymore) I’m just not convinced there is anything in place for a consistent improvement in the future. Hopefully you’re right, and I’ll eat my words in the coming couple of seasons!
@ 3,
The whole “true” fan thing is incredibly lame. A lot like the political talk during the past few months of the their being two America’s.
I attended my first game this year in Tally for the Clemson game and was less than impressed by all the “true” fans there. There literally looked to be 10,000 empty seats at one end of the stadium and a lot more open seats here and there in the rest of the stadium – I was stretched out over four seats on the 25 yard line. We couldn’t give our tickets away before the game and neither could seemingly anyone else.
I had a good time gawking at the talent but I was less than impressed by the atmosphere – maybe I just hit one of those odd games. I’ve attended my fair share of Clemson games and never seen that mild of an atmosphere – and Clemson is a town of 20,000 in Bumblefuck, SC not close to jackshit.
Well, anyway, that was longwinded way of saying your some fans are better than others comment was moronic.
Dear Mr. nothing good happens after 2am… I’m sorry that you attended a Clemson game that was lackluster, I truly am, but I don’t remember commenting on the atmosphere of any Clemson games??? This was your first game in Tally, and the atmosphere didn’t meet your expectations… I guess that’s what happens when we play teams from “bumblefuck SC not close to jackshit.”
As for the some fans are better than others comment, I think you missed the point… It’s not a matter of some fans being better than others, its about supporting your team whether they are playing as well as they can or not, whether they are winning games or not or whether they are making it into bowl games or not. It’s about not bashing the very team you supposedly root for, right before they go into a bowl game, whether it be a “good” bowl game or a “mediocre” one. A “true” fan doesn’t bash their team when it’s down… they support them no matter the circumstances… that’s all I’m saying. But thanks for your “moronic” interpretation.
@7 – It was a tough sell all season. In years past there haven’t been that many empty seats, but with the economy, location of Tallahassee and continually increasing ticket prices I’d expect more empty seats next season.
@8 – How did I not support my team? I watched the game, I rooted them on. I bought a bunch of shirts at the beginning of the season. I purchased my season tickets. I sent in my Booster donation. I didn’t ask for anything in return. You’re trying to define a “true” fan with you’re own personal definition and apply it to everyone. That’s all 7 was trying to say.
I think our “true fan” status was cemented a couple years ago during that fateful, rainy, and cold Wake Forest game that we sat through to the bitter end along with MAYBE 700 other fans. If you weren’t there you missed out on something truely, truely special (kinda like Michigan’s season this year).
Randy… that Wake game was amazing… it included not only a beat down of the Noles in horrible weather, but ME DOING THE WAVE. That’s the only time I’ll do the wave… ever… and you got to witness it.
I did. I also did the wave. We booed the hell out of those refs for not giving us the safety late in the fourth quarter. You also got to see me actually be cold, after being rained on for most of the game and the temp dropping 20 degrees. Memories….
The people that still root for the Lions are “true” fans. We should all be thankful the Noles have never been that bad in recent memory (Wake game excluded).
Honestly though, does a fan cheer every little accomplishment? Or does a fan have super high expectations and only cheer when the team achieves those standards? I guess it boils down to the type of person.
Personally, I’m glad it’s basketball season. The sport of “true” Seminole fans. Ha!
Jordi,
Basketball… lol… if we’re going there, let me remind you that I COVER SOFTBALL on ScalpEm. LOL. I can’t get any more true than that!
As a true Lions fan, yesterday, my wife and I celebrated the perfect imperfect season with a high five. It was mostly that after 7 years we knew Detroit had finally hit rock bottom and had no place to go but up. We were excited to see the turn over begin today and believe that if they get some knowledgible people in the front office and on the sidelines, we can make a turn-around next season.
Much like Bill and the Jets (BTW, I laughed yesterday when Chad and the Dolphins won after the Jets out-right released Chad in the off season like a piece of garbage, which might I add, I was out-raged by), I stick with my teams through the thick and thin. I’ll be back next season cheering on the Wolverines and the Lions no matter how they do.
Chad is nothing but a reject and the Dolphins were the only team stupid enough to take him. I hope they keep him and therefore at least someone will be worse off than FSU next season in the state. But with Chuck, Mickey, and Bobby still around they’ll be the only ones looking up at us I think. Actually, in their case offense will be the reason they fail and defense will be ours but that’s getting nitpicky. Oh, and you’re a real fan even if you do like Drew Weatherford.