Weeellll...

While I think that having two major adjustments made to our offense - QB coaching and OL coaching, I am not convinced we'll beat Florida this year. We play them in the Swamp, and while I am fairly certain they'll lose at least twice this season, I'm not sure we'll be where we need to be by November to pull what will easily categorized as an upset.

Here's to hoping, though - this is the most optimistic I've felt about FSU football since Richt left for UGA.

Finally

FINALLY! College football is less than a month away!

Who will come out on top? Will the media choose their darling this year and try to shove that team down people's throats? Of course they will. Will there be another "game of the century" between Big 10 powers....only to have those 2 teams demolished in bowl games a month or 2 later.

Anyway, what I care about is FSU football and what the Noles can do this year. Let's face it. Can there really be anything other than improvement this year?

After 6 years of mediocrity from the offensive side of the ball, FSU will enter the field this year with a new offensive coaching staff. Jimbo takes the reins at OC. This guy has been on of the more highly coveted OCs in the nation in the past few years. He brings an offense which can be explosive, and national championship experience.
What may be Fisher's biggest asset is the new offensive line coach. Now, I want you to think - when is the last time you've heard so many people so excited about an offensive line coach? Rick Trickett is THE MAN. This guy took what some D1 colleges considered undersized lineman and helped engineer the top run game in the country at West Virginia. This guy is tough as nails and will bring a toughness to an FSU offensive line that has been seriously lacking it in the last few years. Something tells me that we won't see our line fade this year. And it makes me glad to know that there will hell to pay if it does.
Now then, how else would you bring back the air of the "Dynasty" that FSU enjoyed? You surround your guys with those Dynasty Era players. Bobby did one step better. Two of those guys are coaching out running backs and wide receivers. Wide Receivers Coach Lawrence Dawsey was an All-American in college, and has been impressive as a coach. Dexter Carter is one of the first running backs in the Dynasty Era. Both have NFL experience, and Carter has an NFL Championship ring.

One of the bigger "gets" with coaching happened on the defense. LADIES AND GENTS...THE CHEST IS BACK! Say what you want, I like the guy. I think he brings a fire back that we are going to realize we have missed.

I'm not going to make predictions for this year, but I think the Noles will be better. OK, I'll say it. I think they'll be a lot better. My only real goal this year is to beat those dadgum Gators.

2007 College Football All-Name Team

From ESPN, I believe...look at our boy De'Cody gettin' razzed...

(P.S. Thanks to T. for bringing this to our attention!)

OFFENSE:
QB: Jim Bob Cooter (Tennessee) - the gold standard for student-athletes
RB: Richie Rich (North Carolina)
RB: Jimmy Johns (Alabama)
WR: De'Cody Fagg (Florida State)
WR: Darius Passmore (Marshall)
TE: Kyle Sackrider (Michigan State) - that's just unfortunate...
OL: Shelley Smith (Colorado State) - Don't say it -
OL: Joe Girardi (Miami) - Marlins manager doubling as UM lineman???
OL: Joseph Joseph (Louisiana-Monroe) - not a lot of creativity in this one...
OL: Hercules Satele (Hawaii)
OL: Jason Alexander (San Diego State)

DEFENSE:
DL: Colin Ferrell (Kent State)
DL: Avery Hannibal (Mississippi State) - gotta have this facemask...
DL: David Escobar (Ohio) - is this the guy that drugged up Frank Solich?
DL: LeQuantum McDonald (Baylor)
LB: Ian Handshy (Kansas)
LB: John Mark Patrick (Troy)
LB: Billy Ray (West Virginia) - must be very confusing...
DB: Christian Okoye (Tulane) - Nigerian Nigthmare, Part II???
DB: Sir Darean Adams (Michigan State)
DB: Knowledge Timmons (Penn State)
DB: Ray Ray McElrathbey (Clemson) - a sentimental selection...

P/K: Keith Toogood (Texas Tech) - this guy better have balls of steel...

HONORABLE MENTION:
RB/WR Taz Knockum (Memphis)
TE Vincent Chase (SMU) - must be the center of every party
WR Maserati Jemison (Arizona State)
QB John Van Dam (Michigan State) - must.. know.. middle.. name..
DL Untavious Scott (Troy)

Things I love about New Orleans.

Feel free to jump in here, folks.

I grew up 3 hours east of New Orleans, and moved up here in April/May when my company transferred me. Upside? I know the area pretty well, and I am closer to my family during this weird post-Dad time. Downside? Jeebus, could the streets be any worse? Oh, and I'm thinking that Dave and I should post a "Battered Womens' Shelter" sign outside our house. And I don't remember Central City existing before Katrina.

Regardless, I digress.

Here are things I absolutely adore about New Orleans:

-Po-boys and gravy cheese fries at Parasol's

-Mojitos at St. Joe's

-Brunch on a lazy Sunday at The Columns

-The abundant availability of Abita

-Being a Saint

-Walking down to CC's on Magazine on Saturdays with my amazing boyfriend and our strangely well-behaved (in public, at least) collie

-Wednesday nights at the Bulldog with all of my new friends

-Zephyrs games

-Stuffed artichokes at Franky and Johnny's

-Having a random passerby observe the following about our dog: "That's a bald-ass Lassie."

What are your favorite memories of New Orleans? Moreover, who do you think we'll see in the Sugar Bowl and BCS Title Game in January 2008 here in the Big Easy?

What happened to Corey Simon?

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? This is a mystery akin to discovering what drugs Britney's on:


Simon absent from Colts camp, status unclear

NFL.com wire reports

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (July 30, 2007) -- Corey Simon's mysterious absence from the Indianapolis Colts entered its second season with no immediate resolution.

Nearly 10 months after the Colts put the former Pro Bowl selection on the non-football illness/injury list with an undisclosed ailment, the 6-foot-2, 300-pound defensive tackle was absent.

Published reports last week indicated Simon planned to report on time. But he wasn't seen on campus before the players' reporting deadline and was missing again when his teammates took the field for the first time.

What's going on?

Even the Colts struggled to explain it. Team president Bill Polian said he was still waiting to hear if Simon passed the team physical. A few minutes later, coach Tony Dungy said Simon had failed the medical tests. Later in the afternoon, Simon's agent, Roosevelt Barnes, said he also had learned Simon had failed the physical.

"It's unexpected. Corey's in great shape," Barnes told The Associated Press. "He's ready to play. He's been ready to play. It's a mystery to me why he didn't pass the physical. When he talked to them Friday, they told him to pack enough clothes to stay until Sunday."

When asked what the Colts might do next, Dungy responded: "There's a couple of different lists we can put him on based on when he might be able to play again."

Polian wouldn't say what the team might do although he did acknowledge Indy had only two options if Simon was cleared to practice -- keeping him on the active roster or releasing him.

"We're awaiting word on some test results, and I don't want to address that right now," Polian said. "If he passes the physical, we'll address that then."

So it's been a few months, eh?

Since I last posted...

-Jimbo Fisher has been hired by FSU (along with some truly fabulous other coaches)
-UF continued its march towards becoming an evil empire
-I moved to New Orleans
-So did the boyfriend...we'll call him Sportswriter Guy to protect his identity for now
-I rediscovered my intense hatred of cockroaches...

Let's get this party started, shall we?