Seminoles Lost The Opener - The Indians Are Already Circling The Wagons

The Seminoles were full of glee - before the game.

Lulu - the Golden Girl - with the Glitter Guys

Great tickets for $15

Labor Day  in Tallahassee and as always college football is in the air. Fans are still smarting from the terrible job that Jimbo Fisher did last season - and then jilted the Seminoles and left for a $76 million contract with Texas A&M. One week they wanted to hang Jimbo Fisher - for going 2 and 5  - they wanted to buy out his $40 million contract and send him packing on a rail. The next week they were outraged that he left on his own - saving them the $40 million buyout. The real thing that irks me is we learned he accepted the job in March before the season began - and left the cupboard bare by not recruiting at all for the Seminoles. How he kept that secret is beyond me.

FSU hired Willie Taggart - a young coach that turned things around at 3 colleges - Western Kentucky - South Florida - and Oregon. In the next 9 months - Willie Taggert has done everything you want from a coach - including donating $1 million back to the college to build a football building. He has hugged every lady and kissed every baby. He has posed for every picture - and signed every hat. He has a dynamite smile and used it often. He has let the players play rap music at practice. Everyone knew that all would go away if he lost football games.

Monday - before a full house - and a national audience they did just that. The Noles committed 5 turnovers and lost 24-3. The team looked disorganized. His so-called hurry up Gulf Coast Offense was neutralized by Virginia Tech players faking injuries. Every time the Noles got a big play - a Tech player would look to the bench and then fall over. The refs called a time out that went to a TV timeout - and the VT players rested. Willie did not plan for that.

We left our house around 7 PM on the scooter. We weaved through town and parked for free near the stadium. There were plenty of tickets for sale by fans outside. The announced crowd was 78,000  out of 80,000 capacity. The first pair I saw were on the 25 yard line - 22 rows from the field. They looked like good seats and the owner had another pair in front of us. The face value was $100 each - the guy asked for $30 each and accepted $15 each. We went inside and I later rented seat backs for $10 each. Another way to get money out of the fans. We did not bring soda or snacks with us - we were told they were going to have metal detectors at the gates. They did not. Next time I will bring sandwiches and tiny coke cans. They do not search old guys. Discrimination!

Virginia Tech scored early - and it went badly from there. It started to rain - but Lulu brought rain suits. The suits were tight because we gained weight - but they kept us dry. Fans were cranky all night - there was nothing to cheer about. The Seminoles had 5 turnovers! No one can win with 5 turnovers.

After the game - we hopped on the scooter - and due to traffic control blocking streets - we did not get home until midnight.

The scooter performed well. We got $15 great seats - the Seminoles did not look good. Since our new coach is black - in a Southern town - it brings out a certain element - that is very brave to post stuff on the Internet - behind closed doors. Non-stop media piles on and flames it. Tallahassee - which is so used to winning 10 games a year under Bobby Bowden - has the feeling of entitlement. They want the biggest stadium - biggest football building - and 25 five-star recruits a year. Anything under an undefeated season is a failure. 99% of these fans never played in a game in their lives. Yet - since they have a Game Boy - they think they can be a head coach.

I love living in Tallahassee and having a wife who is an FSU star professor. She has built us a beautiful home here - and has taken us all over the world carrying the FSU logo and wearing garnet and gold. The paycheck comes every other Friday - and this town is a great place to spend the money. We have each gained 30 pounds by enjoying the 500 restaurants and pubs that a capital city and college town can offer. We have a motor home that knows all the roads to the all of the other ACC colleges. It also can find its way to the local beaches and Disneyworld. We loved the days of Saint Bobby and the Seminoles winning the first 70 ACC games he coached. But that is a mirage in the rear view mirror.

I remember Virginia's Coach George Welsh from Coaldale PA - winning 7 games a year for 10 years - back when you only played 10 games. He would graduate players at a prestigious school and win. But they fired him - he didn't win enough. Basketball Coach Leonard Hamilton is constantly on the block here. His teams win - he graduates the players - but they don't win enough for these fickle fans. I pick on Tallahassee - because I am here - but it happens all over. Penn State could not fire legend Joe for losing games - but they could find another reason to let him go.

Tonight we play Samford - a Division 1 AA school.  Both Bobby and Jimbo were stars there when it was called Howard College.  They are ranked number 9 nationally in that division. We are favored by 33 - so if we do not win big - the haters will be on Willie again. Willie has a $30 million - 6 years contract. He was a 6 foot - 145 pound quarterback - so he does not  need my 220 pounds of 70 years old blubber defending him. It is a nice golden parachute I hope he never needs.

I like the new coach Willie Taggart. I am willing to "cut him little slack" - am I allowed to say that any more? He is a good example for the players. He is a good example for the fans. Unfortunately that does not count for much now. It is win at all costs. Today's atmosphere of money - politics - Internet - and society demands it.