Florida State was ousted from the College World Series last Monday, losing to in-state rival Miami in an elimination game. And as is tradition after such collegiate contests, players & coaches from both sides met for a post-game handshake.
However, Seminoles coach Mike Martin wasn’t feeling so sociable that evening, so he refused to shake hands with Hurricanes coach Jim Morris.
Sounds like the work of a real sore loser, right? Well, Mike Bianchi of the ORLANDO SENTINEL defends the FSU coach’s post-game snub.
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For those living outside of Blowtown The Windy City, you may remember Steve Bartman as “that guy who caught that ball in that Cubs game and they went on to lose the playoffs or something.” While history almost repeated itself at Wrigley last month, ESPN’s Mark Schlabach reported a much closer life-imitates-Cubs-baseball moment in Sunday’s NCAA baseball super regional between Florida State and Wichita State.
Down 6-0 to the FSU Seminoles, Wichita State batter Andy Dirks hit a foul ball near the left field stands. The fielder raced for the pop fly, but a Seminoles fan reached out and made an impressive catch, sealing the pitch’s fate as a foul ball. The next pitch? You guessed it — a 2-run home run to start a rally. Read more…
• NO OFFSEASON.COM can’t bear to hear the Redskins’ Anwtaan Randle El claim that he can out-gallop a grizzly.
• USA TODAY’s GAME ON finds Ron Hunter getting off on the good foot, as the IUPUI basketball coach is on his way to Africa with 200,000 pairs of shoes for the poor.
• BRAHSOME tees up news that Phil Mickelson will be showing up in an episode of “Entourage” this season.
• The gun show goes on in Tallahassee. First it was Preston Parker. Now Scott Carter of TAMPA BAY ONLINE reports that Charlie Graham is the latest FSU Seminole facing firearm charges.
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Andrew Carter of the ORLANDO SENTINEL reports (with a straight face?) that “Florida State placed standout football player Preston Parker on athletic probation, suspended him for two games and will require him to adhere to six conditions after the junior wide receiver pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors Monday in Palm Beach County court.”
The charges? Parker had been accused of “misdemeanor possession of marijuana and with carrying a concealed weapon, a felony.” This news comes after he was caught shoplifting in 2006. Read more…
• THE SPORTS HERNIA shows how excited assistant coach Steve Shuman is about the upcoming WNBA season, based on his media day photo:
• The ST. PETERSBURG TIMES reports that setting new levels of success and beating the Yankees still can’t get Rays fans out to Tropicana Field.
• The ORLANDO SENTINEL tosses news of a Florida State baseball player who gets around - by playing all nine positions in a single game.
• GUTTY LITTLE BRUINS brews up video of Rick Neuheisel extolling the virtues of UCLA football to some new recruits.
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When the so-called “Nick Saban Rule” went into effect — and put severe restrictions on the amount of time coaches could visit high school prospects during the offseason — the head man at Alabama called the change “ridiculous.”
Now, Saban’s making a different sort of call by keeping ahead of the NCAA on the technology curve. Read more…
It was a rough season for Florida State, having to deal with academic fraud & player suspensions & Jenn Sterger jumping off the bandwagon. But the Seminoles have come up with a cure - start off 2008 against not one, but two I-AA opponents.
The ORLANDO SENTINEL reports that FSU will begin next year’s slate with two home games against Western Carolina and Chattanooga. Both teams hail from the Southern Conference, home of Michigan-mashing Appalachian State. But don’t expect any similar miracles from the Catamounts & Mocs, who went a combined 3-21 last year. (Great nicknames, though.)
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