Posted by William Kristoph

First the football news brought to you by Viper:

Viper: “Good morning, gentlemen, the temperature is 110 degrees and the Florida Gators are #1 in the USA Today poll.”

Andrew Datko: “Holy s%#! It’s Viper!”

Jermaine Thomas : “Viper’s up here, great… oh s$#!…”

Christian Ponder: “Great, he’s probably saying, “Holy s#!#, it’s Ponder and Thomas.”

Jermaine Thomas: “Yeah, I’m sure he’s saying that. And which 6 idiots didn’t vote Florida #1?”

It’s Friday, I needed a little nonsense on the site today. The Gators are the #1 team in the country according to USA Today, but 6 coaches chose not to vote them number one. I wonder if Steve Spurrier forgot again, and which four voted for Texas? I have a pretty good idea who voted USC and Oklahoma number one. The good news for Seminole fans? EVERYONE will give UF their best shot all season. Let’s hope they lose a game or two!

Florida State starts the season at #19 and I think that is completely fair. It also gives the Noles an outside shot of a national title hope, in the sense that with the brutal schedule it would be an easy case to put them in the top 2 if by some miracle they managed an undefeated season. I wouldn’t worry about that though, the goal for the 2009 Noles should be an ACC title and an automatic BCS bowl game birth. The other three ACC Teams in the poll are #7 Virginia Tech, #15 Georgia Tech and #20 North Carolina.

In other good news, FSU Football donated $100,000 to FSU’s libraries. Who said trickle down economics doesn’t work?

And Andrew Carter brings us the FSU practice schedule.

***Sneaking in some Softball News*** – FSU tied GT for most ACC Academic Athletes in softball.

Changing Topic – Ideas to Generate More Revenue for FSU Football

Parker brought up a couple of interesting ideas yesterday, whether or not they’re endorsed by anyone, including Parker doesn’t matter. At least there are some ideas out there, and I thought of some others I’d add to the discussion. First, let’s review the two main ones that came up yesterday:

• Selling Doak Campbell Stadium’s naming rights
• Creating some sort of PSL system

What’s the likelihood of either of these? I think a naming deal could happen in the next 20 years as budgets continue to get tighter. It sounds sacrilegious, but it’s just a building. The name on it doesn’t affect the creation of  wins or losses. It might matter sentimentally, and it might even be the right thing to not sell naming rights to college stadiums, but corporations would eat it up, thanks to the explosion of popularity of college football. I don’t think the PSL will fly, because too many boosters would freak. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. I know it’s a bad time to implement “fees” but I think it’s inevitable down the road. My problem with it, is that the average fan (like me) will be priced out of the stadium eventually. Thankfully, there’s HDTV!

Now for some other ideas, some that are out there and some that might be realistic:

• Figure out a way to get a cut of the secondary ticket sales market. In other words, offer FSU fans an incentive to sell their spares through the school. Perhaps fans doing so would be offered bonuses like tickets to other FSU sporting events for free (basketball or baseball) for a game or two.
• Add a couple of premium dining options outside of the stuff that is offered now. Yes there is the University Center Club, and yes a lot of people tailgate all day, but why not offer some different dishes at some designated concession stands? If the food is good, it would add to the coffers.
• Give something to the lower level boosters. Right now, there isn’t a big reason to donate $60 to the boosters. IPTAY is a prime example of how lots of small boosters can greatly support a large program.
• On the flip side of that, Parker was right in suggesting that one Golden Chief at $6,000 equals 100 Iron Arrows at $60. Resources should invested in finding those big boosters.
• FSU should lobby Leon County and the City of Tallahassee for growth. Part of Tallahassee’s (and I love Tally, this is not an insult to my beloved city) issue is that it’s an island (there’s nothing major within 2.5 hours) and has a limited base because of that. In order for higher level boosters to thrive in Tallahassee, there needs to be higher paying jobs across an array of industries.
• Strip Cheerleading? I kid! I kid! Okay, that won’t fly and it really wouldn’t make the school any money, but hard working college girls could! (I also forgot that there are male cheerleaders. Maybe this was a really boneheaded idea.)

Enjoy the weekend everyone. Leave me some comments, and get ready because Seminole football season is just around the corner finally!