Celebrations And Job Openings
By Jason Parker
Forgive me if I haven't stopped smiling since Saturday evening around 7pm. Though my friends who cheer for the other two state powers (no USF…you still aren't there yet) might disagree, the best team in the state of Florida was crowned this week. Hell, even the drive back from Tallahassee to South Florida on Sunday seemed to go a lot smoother after witnessing the game. Here at CBS4, things for the next year will be great for me, reporter David Sutta, Neighbors4Neighbors' Nicole Maristany, and executive producer Miguel Fernandez. As the alums of Florida State, we don't have to hear ANYTHING from 'Canes and Gators fans for the next year…truly a beautiful thing. And while I have prided myself on being as un-biased as possible here on the blog, I have to give a message to the Gator "Nation" in the wake of Saturday's game…TAKE YOUR LOSS WITH SOME CLASS. Since the game, the standard excuse has been "Congrats…you beat us on our down year." For the last six years, Florida has beaten FSU during a down point in our program, but never once did many of us use that as an excuse. The notion amongst Gator fans about the great history of Florida football is hogwash. You feel as if 5 losses is something the program has never had to endure. Do you remember the 1970's? Hell, just go back to the years under Ron Zook…three straight five loss seasons. It took you close to 60 YEARS to win your conference, and 90 to win a national title. FSU won the ACC in their first season and a national championship in year #46, while Miami also won a conference title in its inaugural season and a national crown in its 57th year. Yes, you've had some great players in your past, but you are a Johnny come lately to national prominence…you are Boise State without the blue turf.
- Now, nothing was more shocking then me then getting back from the game and dinner to my friends house and see the firing of Randy Shannon flashing across the screen. No, the actual firing was not the surprising part, but rather the timing. Do Kirby Hocutt and Donna Shalala really think not allowing Shannon to finish the season and coach the bowl game will reverse the fortunes of the Hurricanes football program? Unless interim coach Jeff Stoutland is going to lead the U in 2011, you are serving no purpose other then creating more confusion amongst the players, and possibly recruits. Did Randy underachieve during his time as the lead 'Cane…possibly. But for 2010, he earned the right to at least coach the bowl game he led the team to. Now, as far as who will lead Miami in the coming years, 'Canes nation believe John Gruden should be and will be the new man in Coral Gables. My two cents: bad move. Gruden's style is a popular one amongst some, but I don't see it working with college athletes. For my value, I still say you try and steal Chris Peterson from Boise State. He's young, cheap and a winner…just like me.
- The reason I say that USF is still not apart of the big three is not because they haven't shown they can play…they've shown that in road wins over FSU and Miami and playing Florida tight. It's in the fact that when they have had the chance to get to that next level, they have choked. From being #2 in the nation for all of one week in 2007, to not being able to win the worst automatic qualifier conference in the BCS, until they make that next leap, they will still be the leaders of the second tier in this state…and with the way UCF played this year, even that title might be in question.
- I love college football like the next person, and I love having all the bowl games we do (I'm the guy who watches every second of the Pizza Bowl and the BBVA Bowl), but I do have a problem with the second and third and fourth tier games being after some of the big games. Play all the small games before new years day, then leave the big ones (Orange, Sugar, Fiesta, Rose, Cotton, Outback, Capital One, and Gator) for January 1st and beyond.
- Congrats to FIU…you are the first team to win a football conference championship in Miami-Dade County since 2004…and you get to go to New Orleans for a bowl game. You might be the only team in the whole state to win their conference! The bad news? You're still going to get out recruited by everyone else in the state.
- In the pro game, anyone else see the MMA style fight between Cortland Finnegan and Andre Johnson the other day? Awesome!
- Not awesome is how the media dealt with Cardinals QB Derek Anderson after the game Monday night. By now, you've seen him snapping when a reporter continued to badger him about why he was smiling on the sideline while his team was losing. The self appointed "Worldwide leader in Sports" and others are condemning Anderson for his outburst. First off, no one except Derek knows why…and second, who cares? That's the typical style of journalism done by people who use sports writing as a stepping stone. You know those people…there are two shows on different networks mistakenly labeled as "sports magazines" that employee multiple reporters that think they are too good to lower themselves to cover sports, and are waiting their turn to move into news. I've worked with these types before, including here at WFOR, and they give all of us in sports media a bad name.
- Leaving the pigskin, the above mentioned network had a story that Derek Jeter might consider joining the evil Boston Red Sox. Two words: Not funny.
- Mazel Tov to the Florida Marlins…that one year contract for Javier Vasquez was really worth getting rid of Dan Uggla, Cody Ross, and Cameron Maybin. As a Yankees fan, I know the value of Vasquez as a starter…about $12.57.
- I'm not going to even comment on "bump gate" between LeBron and Erik Spoelstra…it's not even worth wasting time for something so meaningless. If only everyone else thought that way.
- We tend to not take women's basketball that serious, but you have to be impressed at what the UConn team has done with their winning streak. Regardless the sport, it's quite impressive. Too bad it will have to end on December 21st vs. Florida State (I'm allowed to dream, aren't I?)
- Finally, if you get a chance, look up the story that CBS did during their Thanksgiving Day pregame show about the late Chris Henry's mother meeting the four different individuals who received organs through donations made after his death. There is a reason the host James Brown was in tears afterward…it is one of the most emotional stories I have seen in a while. It's worth the seven minutes to watch.
