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 Don't Kid YourselfA lot of times what happens is someone will make an innocent comment on the mailing list and I will take off on it and make it into a big deal. The most famous incident was when I misinterpreted a comment by Kevin that caused me to do a huge statistical analysis of each major conference in the 1990s to try to prove that the SEC was a better performer than the Big 10. Which was not Kevin's point at all, as it turned out. This time the innocent comment was by CoconutHead that the mailing list might be dominated by Florida fans. As it turns out, it probably is. That's what prompted this week's poll question, asking what rating you give your Florida fandom and what rating you give your Florida State fandom. I was also pretty interested in how my father and brother would answer that question, not really knowing. Kevin, I'd always assumed, was pro-FSU, and Dad, for all his other good qualities, has had an awful hard time with the fact that he really only became a college football fan after he moved to Tallahassee in the early 1980s. I also have had to deal with that demon. My first favorite college football player was Hassan Jones, later of the Minnesota Vikings. Eventually, though, I got over my FSU fandom, and as can be seen from the graphic, the Seminoles are quite safely in the negative part of the spectrum.
To steal a line from Arlo Guthrie: "But that's not what I came to tell you about." What I want to tell you about (no, not the draft), is that I'm starting to get a little scared of Florida State. Don't kid yourselves, people: this is the best team in college football. It's not Nebraska, its not Kansas State, and it's not Florida. It is Florida State. There's no doubt they were the best team in college football last year; I'm here to tell you they have a better team this year. Don't believe me? The Backfield. They are better than last year in the backfield. Chris Weinke, who is the old man of college football, is also one of the only three-year starters in FSU quarterback history. He led the team to a title game in 1998, a national championship in 1999, can anyone doubt he can only be better in 2000? It is starting to look like he, and not Drew Brees, is the best drop-back passer in college football right now, and he is every bit the leader and clutch playmaker that Michael Vick or Eric Crouch is. As for the rest of the backfield, FSU shocked me last week by actually displaying a running game, against a sound defensive team in North Carolina. Travis Minor will never be a great running back, but look out for Jeff Chaney, his backup. Chaney made a sick looking run against the Tar Heels in which he looked every bit the magician Michael Vick is. Between the two of them, with fullback William McCray to block, the Seminoles ground game will be at least average. And my point is, it will be better than last year. Receivers. With Peter Warrick gone, this was supposed to be a weakness of the team. Some preseason magazines had FSU's receiving corps fourth or fifth in the conference. I'm here to tell you this group belongs no lower than fourth or fifth in the country, and I would place them first in my own rankings. The players seem to be interchangable... Marvin Minnis, Anquan Boldin, Atrews Bell, Robert Morgan, Javon Walker... all of them have had highlight-reel quality catches in this young season. If Talmin Gardner ever develops, the Seminoles will have 6 guys that can play with anybody anywhere. And don't forget, Weinke still has capable targets in Minor, Chaney, and his tight ends. Minor, particularly, is more dangerous catching the ball than running. Weinke's options are unlimited, and his receivers have already proven the ability to go get a ball that's a little high, or a little off, or a little behind. And they've been well coached to run through the ball and take it downfield. It really is a scary group. Defense. The Seminoles just reload and reload. Jamal Reynolds and Roland Seymour continue the fine tradition at defensive end, and Tommy Polley and Brian Allen continue the fine tradition at linebacker. Kendyll Pope is another linebacker coming on very strong, and the defensive backfield is as good as the Seminoles have had in many years. Tay Cody is excellent. Stanford Samuels, a guy who wasn't anywhere on the preseason depth charts, has come in and made big plays. What I'm saying is the the Seminoles have another aggressive, confident, swarming defense that will knock their share of opposing quarterbacks out of the game, force turnovers, and create chances. Just about the only weaknesses the Noles have is at placekicker (the guy missed two daggum extra points last week, according to Bobby Bowden) and offensive line (14 sacks allowed in 3 games). The Seminoles are also prone to taking dumb penalties and to bogging down offensively, usually due to bad play calling and the aforementioned penalties. They must be beatable, because Georgia Tech pushed them to the wire. But the Seminoles are capable of becoming a dominating team, in an era where dominating teams are hard to find. And for us Florida fans, the hard part to swallow is that they are probably better than the Gators at every position on the field except cornerback (close call) and kicker. |
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