In the Crowd with Sam Borden

So what next?

2007-03-09T16:15:00.000-05:00

There were no excuses from the Noles after the game and that was good - any they offered would have sounded hollow. They were simply out-played by UNC, which certainly took advantage of having a first-round bye and also showed how much deeper it is by using so many players throughout the game.

FSU just looked tired. They played what most people thought was an elimination game yesterday and barely won it. Once they fell behind today, they didn't have the energy to come back. Phat Al Thornton said, "I think we were ready" but he sounded way, way too tired as he said it.

The question now is where the Noles next game will be played. They'll get into the NIT for sure, but will the NCAA tournament want them? They're the definition of a bubble team. Until the other conference tournaments are played out, it's hard to tell if there's room for them. Needless to say, FSU fans should be rooting for plenty of favored teams to win this weekend.

UNC coach Roy Williams was asked if he thinks FSU is a tournament team. Here's what he said: "I think they should be a tournament team, absolutely. I have trouble believing they're not one of the best 65 teams in the country. ... It'd be a shame if people didn't get to see Al Thornton in the NCAA tournament, too."

Ballgame; UNC beats FSU, 73-58

2007-03-09T14:11:00.000-05:00

On the second-to-last possession, Toney Douglas just drove to the hoop and had his lay-up blocked by Danny Green. Douglas ended up on his back as the players went back the other way. It was a reasonable ending. Back with a wrap-up in a bit.

Start the bus

2007-03-09T14:03:00.000-05:00

2:20 to go and FSU is down 68-54. Phat Al looks despondent on the bench. The fans behind me are screaming at the refs but it's hardly the zebras who are to blame today. Quite simply, FSU isn't on the same level as UNC.

UNC up 59-40, 7:44 left

2007-03-09T13:48:00.000-05:00

Well, that run didn't exactly materialize. Phat Al picked up his fourth foul, Jerel Allen tried a three-pointer that was closer to mid-court than the foul line and the Noles have missed (by my count) at least three lay-ups this half. There's no question who the better team is today.

The FSU band, on the other hand, is doing a nice job. Solid Bon Jovi rendition earlier. They do NOT give love a bad name.

11:26 left, FSU trying to come back; UNC leads 52-40

2007-03-09T13:37:00.000-05:00

Phat Al picked up his third foul a few moments ago and Hamilton took him out which I thought was a bit of a strange move. What are you saving him for? At this point, the game is going be either a blowout or competitive: why not leave your best player in and see if he can (carefully) help your team get back into it?

The Noles have lopped eight points off the deficit and are down 12. UNC doesn't look particularly rattled but the next few minutes are critical; get it into single digits by the under-8 timeout and it's a ballgame.

15:32 left, UNC up 48-28

2007-03-09T13:27:00.000-05:00

This would be a huge rally if FSU even gets to within five or less at any point the rest of the way. Phat Al doesn't have his legs, Douglas is still playing poorly and the Heels are just carving FSU up. Wayne Ellington is leading the way for UNC - he's got 13 points.

St. Pete Times Forum - friend of the environment

2007-03-09T13:20:00.000-05:00

Yup, the urinals in the press room are those cool Falcon Waterfree kind. Good to see the folks down here care about conservation.

18:16 left; 44-26, UNC

2007-03-09T13:19:00.000-05:00

OK, maybe it won't take all the way until the first media timeout to get to 20 points ...

Halftime; UNC up 36-26

2007-03-09T13:03:00.000-05:00

The Noles couldn't have ended the half any worse. They were within four at 30-26 and then had three straight terrible possessions, two of which were Isaiah Swann shooting a 25-foot three-pointer (way off) and then Swann making an ill-advised drive to the basket and getting called for an offensive foul.

The coup de grace was FSU having the ball stripped with three second left on an inbounds pass leading to another UNC tip-in as the buzzer sounded, sending Leonard Hamilton into an uproar on the sideline. He stomped and screamed his way along the bench and was hit with a technical foul as the teams ran off the court. UNC will shoot the free throws before the second half begins.

All in all, the Noles are in serious trouble. They can't defend and are having problems getting their running game going at all. If they're not careful, UNC could be up 20 pretty easily by the first or second timeout in the second half.

Some things never change

2007-03-09T12:50:00.000-05:00

One UNC fan is holding up a sign that says, "Where's DOOK?"

The Blue Devils, of course, were bounced last night in the first round by North Carolina State.

UNC up 30-22, 2:59 remaining in the half

2007-03-09T12:44:00.000-05:00

Technical issues here have kept In The Crowd behind a little, just like the Seminoles. FSU still seems half a step slow. Douglas is having an awful half; he's turning the ball over constantly, including once when he overthrew a wide-open teammate who was breaking away for an easy lay-up.

Phat Al is frustrated. He's not getting great looks on the offensive end and the Noles are porous defensively. FSU was even at 13 but couldn't keep up as UNC kept pounding. Also, it's worth noting that the Heels are playing well despite Roy Williams wearing one of the ugliest ties I've ever seen.

First media timeout; UNC up 11-4, 15:47 left

2007-03-09T12:12:00.001-05:00

FSU looks horrible at the start. Toney Douglas seems to be having trouble just holding on to the ball and there's no flow at all to the Noles play. That would be OK if they were in their usual track-meet mode but they're not making any sort of smooth transition plays either. All in all, not a good combo.

In other news, UNC forward Tyler Hansbrough is wearing a Bill Laimbeer-style mask to protect his broken nose. He looks unbelievably strange. Good crowd here for a noon tip but Carolina fans seem to be outnumbering FSU fans by a wide margin.

First media timeout; UNC up 11-4, 15:47 left

2007-03-09T12:12:00.000-05:00

90 minutes to tip

2007-03-09T10:22:00.000-05:00

Strange how a team known as the Heels can be intimidating, isn't it?

Whatever their name, UNC is one of the best teams in the country this year and the general consensus is that Florida State doesn't have much a chance this afternoon. I tend to agree with that sentiment, though I also picked Clemson yesterday (continuing my horrific prognostication streak) so I suppose no one should be surprised if FSU wins in a rout.

The key is going to be the Noles energy. They used A LOT of a gas in yesterday's game and bouncing back against a team that is superior in talent will be difficult. Phat Al and Tony Douglas need to keep their intensity high every second they're on the floor or UNC will expose any weakness. As I said yesterday and wrote in today's paper, Phat Al will take this team as far as it goes.

The Mighty Heels are waiting

2007-03-08T16:00:00.000-05:00

There was a good vibe in the Seminoles locker room after the victory: Not too high, not too cocky. They seemed to have a good handle on what they'd done. This was an important victory, to be sure, but after being left on the NCAA tournament bubble a year ago, the 'Noles know better than to think they've accomplished anything more than making their case a little stronger.

They get North Carolina tomorrow. The first impression is that UNC should be able to beat them pretty easily, though after watching Al Thornton play today, I certainly believe that Phat Al can carry this team past just about anybody.

Still, the real question is what happens if the Noles do in fact lose? Have they done enough to get in? It's hard to say for sure because there are so many conference tournament games still left to play elsewhere around the country but their resume is solid. Assuming the committee factors in Tony Douglas' absence you'd think that FSU would either be one of the last teams in or first teams out.

"I'll really be livid," Phat Al said about possibly missing out again. "I don't even want to think about it."

Win tomorrow and he probably won't have to bother.

FSU wins, 67-66

2007-03-08T14:05:00.000-05:00

Al misses the first, makes the second. Now he's being carried around by Ralph Mims. Big win for FSU. They get UNC tomorrow.

Thornton at the line, 1.5 seconds left

2007-03-08T14:03:00.000-05:00

Timeout Clemson. Thornton got fouled driving and now has a chance to try and win the game.

Still tied, 8.3 seconds left

2007-03-08T14:01:00.000-05:00

Two terrible possessions: First, FSU doesn't get the ball to Thornton and Ryan Reid ends up with it as the shot clock expires. Then Hammonds loses the ball off his own leg and Clemson is hit with a backcourt violation to give FSU another chance. If they don't go to Al here, it's a total disgrace.

66-all, 54.7 seconds left

2007-03-08T13:58:00.000-05:00

Thornton tore the rim down with a baseline slip and dunk to tie it, then Ryan Reid took a charge to get FSU the ball back. Tourney hopes are on the line now. Big finish coming up.

Clemson leading, 66-64 with 2:54 left

2007-03-08T13:51:00.000-05:00

Douglas just drilled a three to bring FSU back to within two. Noles have been horrendous at rebounding in this half and are making poor decisions on the offensive end. Thornton has just four points in the second half and isn't getting many opportunities. Clemson is doing a better job keeping the ball from him, but FSU needs to put it in their star's hands.

Took about 30 seconds ...

2007-03-08T13:44:00.001-05:00

... and Douglas ran off his injury. He's back in the game with a nice ovation from the fans.

Clemson up, 59-56 with 7:37 left; Douglas hurt

2007-03-08T13:37:00.000-05:00

Tony Douglas is laying on the floor as FSU trainers examine him. He appears to be holding his left leg (possibly the knee). It looked like he was caught working off a screen. He's being helped off the court now and can't put any weight on his leg.

FSU leads 53-51, 11:45 to go

2007-03-08T13:29:00.000-05:00

Thornton picked up his third foul when he hacked James Mays with 12:17 left. He needs to be careful the rest of the way. The Clemson dance team is in orange sequined tops and purple pants. Solid look.

15:53 remaining

2007-03-08T13:17:00.000-05:00

Back and forth to start the second half. Douglas is suceeding off the dribble when he gets inside but the pace is similar to the beginning of the game. Worst sign for FSU is that they've got 10 turnovers and have been prone to get into ruts where they can't handle Clemson's pressure. This game is going to be close all the way - you get the feeling that Thornton is going to win or lose it for FSU.

Wrist is OK

2007-03-08T12:53:00.000-05:00

Al ran the clock down then drilled a long three just before the buzzer. He's got 18 and the Noles lead 38-36. At this point, it's hard not to think Thornton will be a higher pick in the NBA draft than Joakim Noah. He's just got a better pro game.

Thornton takes a fall

2007-03-08T12:43:00.000-05:00

Off an outlet pass, Thornton tried to sky for a dunk but was undercut and landed hard on his right wrist. He made 1-of-2 free throws but seems to be favoring the wrist slightly. It's the same one he hurt in the Noles last regular season game against Miami.

7:11 left, first half

2007-03-08T12:34:00.001-05:00

FSU is struggling now with Clemson's press. Leonard Hamilton tried to get Thornton a quick break but it took one possession for FSU to turn the ball over so Thornton came right back. 'Noles are down 26-19.

7:11 left, first half

2007-03-08T12:34:00.000-05:00

Second media timeout

2007-03-08T12:25:00.000-05:00

Breakneck pace is continuing. Thornton finally gets on the board with a dunk at the 13 minute mark, then had a hammer follow on Douglas' missed jumper moments later. There isn't much in the way of half-court offense going on so far. Clemson up, 18-17. 10:55 to go in the first.

First media timeout

2007-03-08T12:16:00.000-05:00

It took exactly 2 minutes, 23 seconds for Leonard Hamilton to go to Tony Douglas. He's playing without that wrap on his right wrist and seems fine. The pace of the game is quick; lots of running as FSU deals with Clemson's press.

Predictions

2007-03-08T12:02:00.000-05:00

Sitting alongside my man Bob Thomas, we're a few minutes from tip. Here's what the crystal ball says:

Sam: Clemson, 68-63
Bob: FSU, 70-61

It sort of rhymes with "peekaboo"

2007-03-08T11:28:00.000-05:00

The radio guys behind me just spent a solid three minutes working on how to pronounce FSU sophomore forward Uche Echefu's name. Oooo-chay Etch-e-foo. What's hard about that?

Good morning from Tampa

2007-03-08T11:17:00.000-05:00

That's the Florida State basketball team shooting around before it's first-round game in the ACC tournament. The Seminoles tip with Clemson at noon and there are already FSU fans filtering into the arena. My hotel was overrun with red and gold this morning, and My Boy Sandy (who covers the Yankees) reports that Clemson and their fans took over his hotel out closer to the Westshore area.

There's been a lot of talk in recent days about whether it's good for the ACC tourney to leave its North Carolina roots (it's usually in Greensboro) but I don't see how this is bad: It's exposing the best conference in the country to a new area and changing which teams have to travel further. Usually, FSU, Miami, Maryland and the Virginia schools have a bit of a trip to NC while the NC schools get an easy ride; this year, Duke, UNC, NC State, Wake and Clemson, et. al have a little more of a ride. It's only fair.

Anyway, even the most blue-blooded Carolina traditionalist will probably change his mind once he either a) gets on a golf course; b) eats at a great steakhouse; or c) checks out the talent at one of Tampa's famous gentleman's clubs. There's a lot more fun to be had here than in Greensboro, that's for sure.

Football tragedy

2007-02-27T11:32:00.000-05:00

Just saw this story about the death of a Daytona Beach player in a World Indoor Football League game. The guy literally died on the field after a head-to-head hit. Can you imagine what it must feel like for the guy who threw the block? How hard will it be for him to play with the same intensity now?

No word on whether the Mick ever slept over at Jeter's house ...

2007-02-26T17:24:00.000-05:00

For all those who enjoy tracking the daily drama that is the New York Yankees, take a look at this Derek Jeter baseball card and check out the two unusual faces:

1. In the background, our fearless leader W is waving as he walks through the crowd.
2. In the dugout, Mickey Mantle is grabbing a bat.

Thanks to The Fiancee's Brother for forwarding me the story about the card, which apparently won't be much more valuable than any other card of the Captain, despite the odd additions.

Of course, if Mantle actually were in the dugout with these Yankees it's not hard to imagine what he'd think of Carl Pavano's oafishness, George Steinbrenner's man-behind-the-curtain routine and A-Rod's myriad issues ...

The Chosen One

2007-02-23T00:02:00.000-05:00

Jack Del Rio gives the football to Byron Leftwich on Thursday afternoon and it is really just another way of saying that he is putting his own job in Leftwich's hands. Now he needs Leftwich to run and pass the Jaguars into the postseason.

Here's the thing to know about Del Rio's decision: it really wasn't much of a decision at all. Giving Leftwich the nod merely confirms that the Jaguars a) had little hope of making a trade for another QB; b) have a significant financial stake in Leftwich; and c) are well-aware of what the story in 2007 is going to be about.

As much as he might like to dismiss it as a media fabrication, Del Rio is that story. There aren't too many people who get to keep a head coaching job for four years without winning a playoff game and that is exactly where this head coach is right now. Five would be too much. Del Rio has to win now.

It all starts with the quarterback. Leftwich had a falling-out with Del Rio last season, a disagreement over how Leftwich's injured ankle was handled and how serious the situation was portrayed. Things were said, communications were missed, people were offended. At the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Del Rio says he's spoken to Leftwich to clear the air and admits that "we could have handled things better." No kidding. Alienating any player, let alone your biggest star, is never a good approach. Now Del Rio can only hope the bridge wasn't burned so badly that he can't walk over it without tumbling.

If it isn't, if Leftwich is healthy and willing and able, then he can deliver. For all that David Garrard was, he was never clutch enough, never complete enough to drive a team all the way. He was a flash of lightning instead of a long, powerful, rolling thunder, and this year the Jags are in need of something more sustained. Leftwich can be that.

"Really, we feel like it's a position of strength," Del Rio says of the QB position and it's hard to imagine him doing it with a straight face. Nothing is a position of strength with the Jags now, least of all the head coach. On Thursday he took a step, made it known that 2007 could be Leftwich's year. We know better. We know that in the end it will be Del Rio's year more than anybody else's.

Hope is made of wood and leather

2007-02-20T22:17:00.000-05:00

I know this is a "football city" but anyone who likes sports has, on some level, felt the hope that arrives with spring training each year.

Beginnings are filled with optimism. There is something reassuring about a new season beginning again, particularly one which will be there - day after day after day - for the next six months.

When I was a beat writer covering the Yankees, I dreaded spring training because it meant six weeks away from home. Yet even then, it was hard not to appreciate the inherent energy that comes with pitchers and catchers, groundballs and the first few rounds of batting practice. There is romanticism in all of it.

Baseball is filled with intriguing storylines this year, starting with Barry Bonds' near-certain ascent to the highest peak in the record book. He is 22 home runs away from passing Hank Aaron and when he does it will be one of the largest debates in sports history. Then there's the never-ending sagas with the Red Sox and Yankees, not to mention the first season in over a decade that the Atlanta Braves won't be defending a division title.

Here is the true magic of baseball: Spring is barely here yet summer seems feels like it's already upon us.

Tiny Tim

2007-02-15T07:23:00.000-05:00

The initial reaction to hearing former NBA star Tim Hardaway's comments about homosexuals is one of complete shock. Not so much that a person would feel such hatred towards gays (because it's hardly surprising that such sentiments still exist) but rather that a public figure would be stupid enough to make such hateful statements knowing he'd be crucified afterward.

Nonetheless, Hardaway went forward and ripped gay people. As a sports writer, I've often complained about how boring a player was or how bland a particular interview subject was; in this case, however, it's hard not to wish that Hardaway would have just shut up and stuck to the cliches.

Easy living

2007-02-09T10:42:00.000-05:00

Jimmy Smith doesn't seem to be missing the NFL life too much, even though he admits it was a little tough to watch the games every Sunday.

I saw the former Jaguars wide receiver at his charity poker tournament last night - it benefited the American Lung Association - and he told me that he's really enjoying retirement. It's too bad, since the Jags could really use a big-play wide receiver right now and Smith - even one year removed - could probably fit the bill.

So what's your take on Jimmy Smith? Love him for what he did? Angry at how he left? Regardless of which side you fall on, there's no doubt he's one of the most important players in franchise history.

National Signing Day ...

2007-02-07T10:04:00.000-05:00

... sounds like a day that honors deaf people.

Instead, it's about kids going to college. I wrote today about how I think the whole thing is a little over the top and promptly heard both from readers and on talk radio about how I was wrong. That's fine - disagreement is good and, as I wrote, there are some positives to the whole recruiting frenzy. I still think, however, that we're heading in the wrong direction here: At one point during my interview with scout.com's Jamie Newberg I asked him if he could see the industry starting to rate kids at an even younger age than they are now. "We mostly stick with rising seniors in football," he said. "In basketball it's different but I can't see us doing rankings for football sophomores or freshman. Then again, if people want it then I guess you never know."

To me, that's the bad part. No one knows where this craze ends. And each time it gets a little bigger, another sliver of a kid's youth gets taken away.

Peyton's Place

2007-02-05T10:40:00.000-05:00

No, really, I really do know what I'm talking about most of the time.

OK, so I'm now 0-for-2 in making big-game predictions, but stick with me and I'll show you I can someday be as good as Peyton Manning in the clutch.

Lingering thoughts from the Super Bowl:

1. The Bears are going to have problems winning with Rex Grossman. Sure, they got to the big game with him as their QB but it seems like they did so in spite of him more than because of him. Bottom line: He put on an ugly, ugly show.

2. The best teams win when they can't use their top weapons. Anyone notice Marvin Harrison last night? Other than his horrific-looking knee-bend, there wasn't much to see from the Colts top receiver. But Indy won with Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes slogging with the ball, and Manning making shorter passes. It showed they're more of a complete team than they've been in the past.

3. Miami is supposed to be a good-weather town?

It's a guessing game

2007-02-04T17:30:00.000-05:00

Here are some predictions courtesy of Vito Stellino and me, the Times-Union's crack staff on site for the Super Bowl:

Coin toss:
Vito: Tails
Sam: Heads

First play from scrimmage will be a:
Vito: Bears a run, Colts a pass
Sam: Bears a pass, Colts a run

MVP:
Vito: Peyton Manning
Sam: Muhsin Muhammad

Score of game:
Vito: 28-24, Colts
Sam: 31-24, Bears

From red carpet to kickoff

2007-02-04T17:10:00.000-05:00

Still at least an hour away from kickoff but Robbie Gould looks like he's prime form - I've been watching the Bears kicker nail long field goals for the last 10 minutes.

Ten minutes, of course, is about 90 minutes less than it took me to get to the stadium on the media shuttle from a South Beach hotel. Traffic was a complete disaster, though most of it was right around the stadium (leading you to believe that an efficient system wasn't designed to keep everyone moving). Nonetheless, I know no one wants to hear complaints about someone who is at the Super Bowl, so let's turn our attention instead to more gossipy stuff.

The Fiancee joined me down here for the weekend and we hit a pair of CBS parties; on Friday, a beach bash at the Loews Hotel turned spectacular when Prince and his crew showed up and played an extended set. As good as that was, however, the best part was when Prince took a break and hung out with his crew (including the smoking-hot identical twin backup dancers) and nibbled on chips. It was like at a Sweet 16 party or something - even Prince's band needs to take a break while the DJ plays, apparently.

The next night we hit a great spot for dinner called Pacific Time (excellent sea bass) and then went to a party at the far end of South Beach. On a normal night there are two clubs operating separately (one called Prive and the other called Opium Garden) but CBS had rented out both and, in the words of The Fiancee, put on "the most decadent thing I've ever been at."

The highlight for her was having her picture taken with David Spade; the highlight for me was the chocolate fountain where you could dip everything from pretzels to strawberries.

Note to self: Several DJs, great music and chocolate on a stick is always a solid combination for a memorable time.

Shaq apparently not a big Patriots fan

2007-02-02T15:04:00.000-05:00

With parties abounding on South Beach last night, I managed to get into Shaq's bacchanal which was held at what used to be the Versace Mansion. Best part of the night (besides Pauly Shore showing up) was when The Daddy finally arrived at the party (shortly before 1 a.m.) and began moving through the packed crowd.

This wasn't easy. Shaq is a big boy and was wearing what appeared to be a six-button sport coat, a garment so big one could easily hide several small dogs inside of it. With a crew in tow, he headed towards the back of the pool-side gathering as he shook hands and greeted people along the way.

Patriots QB Tom Brady was standing right nearby me and, as Shaq moved past us, Brady reached out and touched Shaq on the arm trying to get him to stop. Shaq turned and looked at Brady quizzically, then gave him one of those "uh, hi" nods and kept walking. Brady looked sort of embarrassed and stared after him, then sheepishly turned back to his group.

No doubt it was Shaq's strongest rejection of the night.

In other news, Matt Leinart arrived wearing shoddy gray jeans and an oversized white t-shirt - it looked even scrubbier than it sounds. He spent much of the night talking with Andy Roddick (So do you like being famous? Yeah, man, do you?) while Eli Manning and the "other" Manning brother, Cooper, hung out. Reggie Miller, T.O., Michael Strahan and an ungodly amount of models were also in the house.

Biggest lesson I learned? Celebrity parties are pretty much the same as regular-people parties except that almost everyone there is taller.

He just wants your extra time ...

2007-02-01T15:06:00.000-05:00

I need to go purify myself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka.

Seriously, it's hard to focus now - I just got back from a "press conference" in which Prince rocked the mike for 20 minutes as a preview to his performance in Sunday's half-time show. A free concert and now I have to write? No shot.

Leading up to the "press conference" there was talk that Prince wouldn't take questions because, you know, he doesn't talk. So as soon as he walks on the stage Prince begins by saying, "Contrary to popular rumor, I'd like to take a few questions" prompting most of the crowd to just stare in surprise.

Then, suddenly, someone popped up and started to ask Prince how it felt to be playing the Super Bowl and Prince immediately signaled to his band to start playing, going into a cover of "Johnny Be Good" as he laughed hysterically at fooling the gullible media.

Unfortunately Prince didn't bless us with any of his more recognizable songs (I was hoping for "Cream") but he did have two of the most beautiful back-up singers I've ever seen who danced with each other and grinded all over him; making things even better was the fact that they appeared to be identical twins (seriously, I need to change professions).

Billy Joel, who will be singing the national anthem, was Prince's opening act though he opted for the more traditional press conference (no singing) and answered a few questions. A sampling of his answers:

- On the national anthem: "It's a tough song. It's not the greatest song ever written. "America the Beautiful" is a much better song."

- On whether he'll do a new album: "I don't know. If I feel like writing an album, I'll write an album. Today I don't feel like writing an album."

- On how long his version of the anthem will be (an interesting topic because the length has been a popular proposition wager on online gambling sites): "At (Super Bowl) 23 I came in about 1:27 but I don't really (this time) - and I'm saying that because I might be betting on it."

- On what goes through his mind as he signs the anthem: "Don't forget the words."

Down goes Frazier!

2007-02-01T13:31:00.000-05:00

With most hotels in town having a four-night minimum this week, today's the day that everyone seems to be rolling in. Radio Row is buzzing today as several former players, high-powered honchos and weirdos have hit the Convention Center floor.

Earlier, I saw Vince Papale - the guy whose story was highlighted in "Invincible" - doing an interview with an Indianapolis station, then ran across this guy (who can surely be filed under the "weirdo" category) dressed as the famous announcer Howard Cosell.

Maurice Drew is also in the house (he was up for a Rookie of the Year award) though nothing is expected to top the Billy Joel/Prince back-to-back press conferences this afternoon. I'll report back later.

Edward R. Murrow would be proud

2007-01-31T16:39:00.000-05:00

Just in case anyone needed any more proof that EVERY SINGLE ASPECT of the Super Bowl is explored by the media in the days leading up to the big game, we now have stories examining the impact that the Bears-Colts match-up will have on toilets around the country.

What a business.

It's Alive!!

2007-01-31T14:10:00.000-05:00

After a short (technology-induced) hiatus, ITC is pleased to be back in service. Greetings from the Miami Beach Convention Center, which has been overrun by several thousand media members this week in search of anything even remotely resembling an original story about either the Colts or Bears.

Along those lines, witness the fascination that Bears RB Thomas Jones' hot car inspired at a media session this morning at the Chicago team hotel. This picture doesn't even do the scene justice; reporters were literally pushing each other to get the smallest of nuggets from Jones about his orange Ferrari (which, by the way, has an orange dashboard and interior paneling, too).

So far, my virgin Super Bowl voyage has been pretty low-key; my biggest complaint is that I'm perpetually cold. At first, I thought maybe it was just me - then I called the front desk of my hotel and was told that there actually is no heat in the hotel at all. "You can push the thermostat all the way up and nothing will happen," the attendant said cheerfully, prompting me to politely tell him that I knew that already, hence my phone call.

Still, I'm not complaining. Last night I stopped by an outdoor party on South Beach which featured several bikini-clad girls playing volleyball in the sand. There didn't seem to be any sort of tournament or anything going - the girls were simply there to look at while we sampled food from several stations.

Who says the NFL isn't a full-service entertainment operation?

Somewhere ...

2007-01-18T11:28:00.000-05:00

... Jack Del Rio is wondering how close he is to doing what Tony Dungy and Bill Belichick are doing right now: Preparing for the AFC Championship game.

It's funny how close the Jaguars were to a playoff spot this year - a squib kick away, maybe, or one horrendous day from David Garrard from having enough wins to get in. How differently would the season look right now if either of those things hadn't happened?

A day to remember

2007-01-15T15:16:00.000-05:00

When I was at school in Atlanta I always went to The King Center in the week leading up to Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It's a wonderful museum and is near to Dr. King's birth home and the Ebenezer Baptist Church. Sitting in the pews at the church, listening to recordings of Dr. King's speeches was something that resonated with me.

My parents had told me about what it was like to be at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. on Aug. 28, 1963, standing among thousands upon thousands of people. That speech, the famous "I Have A Dream" speech, was a catalyst for the 1964 Civil Rights Act and remains one of the greatest orations in history. Dr. King won the Nobel Prize a year after delivering it.

Here's the text of the speech. It's worth a read.

Back in Town

2007-01-12T00:01:00.000-05:00

Take my advice: Don't move.

Like, ever.

Just stay in whatever house or apartment you're in right now. Trust me.

If you don't, you could end up like The Fiancee and I --- which means riddled with paper cuts, smelling like packing paper and living in a dwelling that looks as though a tornado swelled up out of the dishwasher one night.

In other words, I wish I was in Hawaii right now like Reggie Lewis and a few other Gators.

All-in

2007-01-10T00:15:00.000-05:00

Since flights were so expensive getting out of Phoenix on Tuesday - and, as it turned out, I needed to be in Arizona for a victory press conference anyway - my flight back to Florida doesn't leave until the morning. That meant I had a free night here this evening so I decided to test out the local poker room.

Poker has been an interest of mine for about six years. I started playing seriously after stumbling upon a tournament in Biloxi when I was on a weekend trip there with The Fiancee (then The Girlfriend) during our senior year at Emory. I managed to finish second and win $500, quickly hooking me to the game.

For about eight months after I graduated, poker was actually my main source of income. I played constantly - traveling casinos to Las Vegas, Mississippi, Connecticut and Atlantic City - and joined an underground club in Manhattan that was similar to ones you might have seen in "Rounders" (minus the scary Russians).

Anyway, since becoming a sports writer I haven't been able to play nearly as often but I still love a good tournament. With some time to kill, I hit up Fort McDowell Casino and played the 7 p.m. no-limit hold 'em tournament. Long story short? I lasted about two hours, finishing somewhere around 30th out of 90 people (no cash, sadly). The atmosphere was nice though, and I'd definitely recommend checking out "The Fort" or Casino Arizona if you get out here.

Sorry Chewy ...

2007-01-09T01:45:00.000-05:00

There is no greater morning in a sports fan's life then the one Gators fans wake up to today.

Florida was absolutely dominant last night, battering Ohio State up and down the field with a textbook display of Urban Meyer's offense. The Buckeyes were feeble and helpless; not even Chewbacca cheering for them could turn them back from the Dark Side.

Questions about what comes next - who will go pro and who will stay? - began almost as soon as the game was over, but there is plenty of time to worry about them later. For now, members of Gator Nation should simply revel in the ultimate satisfaction their team has given them.

It's a feeling that every other fan around the country can only dream about.

Wing Beneath My Wings

2007-01-08T20:08:00.000-05:00

It's nice to see a familiar (albeit furry) face here tonight: Challenger, a bald eagle, will be doing his flying thing before tonight's game.

Challenger used to appear at big Yankee games, though it's believed the organization became a little less-interested in having him there after he was spooked by a fighter jet flyover and nearly hit Derek Jeter and Jason Giambi in the head. Challenger's supporters, of course, downplay that episode, saying the players shouldn't have been worried and that the bird would have easily cleared them.

Either way, it's good to see Challenger putting in an honest day's work again.

Keep an eye on ...

2007-01-08T19:33:00.000-05:00

... the seams in the field. If my camera phone was any good, I'd be able to show you a picture but the turf that's on the field here - which, by the way, is different than the turf they used last week for the Fiesta Bowl - has visible seams in between the pieces of sod. If someone trips at a crucial point tonight, you'll know why.

Only 210 minutes till kickoff ...

2007-01-08T16:56:00.000-05:00

Well, we're here at University of Phoenix Stadium and word is there's actually going to be a live football game played tonight. This is exciting news.

D-Roc emerged from his holding cell - where he's been writing stories non-stop for the past 30 days - to join us on the media shuttle over here. He looked a little pasty and malnourished, but all of us enjoyed the police escort from Scottsdale to Glendale. The motorcycles whizzing by to stop traffic made passerby think there was an important group onboard the buses (maybe even the players!) but alas it was only us lowly journalists. The fans who ran up to the buses as we pulled up at the Stadium were sorely disappointed: they had been hoping to see a regal-looking Troy Smith; instead they saw a wheezing Smitter.

In other news, The Fiancee reports that Comcast Cable Man showed up to fix the issues that our two-day old internet/phone connection was having ... four hours after he was supposed to be there. In an unrelated note, The Fiancee is now studying laws relating to murder for her Florida Bar Exam prep course.

Fearless Predictions

2007-01-07T19:18:00.000-05:00

1. The game will not start on time because Fox is doing another promo for their new reality show, "Wait A Minute - You're Not My Wife!"

2. In a tragic choreography accident, the Ohio State Marching Band dots the "H" by mistake.

3. Chris Leak vowed to win multiple national titles when he got to Florida and, unfortunately for him, this is as close as he'll come to even getting one. Florida may play in the best conference in the country, but this time the Gators are up against the best team: Ohio State 17, Florida 7.

Desert Magic

2007-01-07T11:04:00.000-05:00

It's been hip to label Florida as this year's version of the 2002 Ohio State team, the one which upset hugely-favored Miami in the Fiesta Bowl to win a national title. I covered that game and it's probably one of the craziest nights I've ever seen live.

Remember what happened? Any 'Canes fans out there surely do. The Buckeyes nearly won in regulation but Miami kicked a field goal with 40 seconds left to send it to OT, then scored to go ahead and thought they'd stopped OSU when a fourth down pass fell incomplete. Fireworks went off and confetti started falling as Miami danced around in celebration.

And then it stopped. The field judge threw a late flag for pass interference and OSU got another chance, scoring to force another OT before winning the game a few moments later.

Was it a late call? No doubt. Was it a bad call? Doesn't look like it. My column today is about the man who threw the flag, Terry Porter, and what's happened to him since that night.

Officials have always intrigued me, mostly because of the level of excellence that fans and coaches seem to expect from them. Errors are part of the game, we're always told, but for some reason that doesn't apply to the refs; they're supposed to be perfect.

In Porter's case, I think he made the right call even if he was crucified afterward for how long he took to do it. But there's no guarantee that Florida (or Ohio State) won't play well enough to win tomorrow night and get hurt by a bad decision from the zebras. "You can't think about stuff like that," Dallas Baker said. "If you do, you're focusing on the wrong thing." Then again, it's also possible that an ref's blunder could help the Gators, too. "Oh yeah," Baker said. "Maybe they could just give us 14 points as soon as we kick off. That'd work fine for me."

All He Does is Catch Touchdowns

2007-01-06T12:48:00.000-05:00

Saw Cris Carter (Ohio State 84-86) in the restaurant at the hotel here and I'm sure there will be several more guest star sightings in the next two days. Carter went to eight Pro Bowls, caught 1,101 passes for 13,899 yards and 130 TDs during his NFL career. Even though he's 41, I was this close to going up to him and asking if he might be interested in playing for the Jaguars.

48 Hours

2007-01-06T11:13:00.000-05:00

It feels like it's been forever but we're actually getting close to playing some football. Novel concept.

D-Roc has a great story in today's paper about the go-to guys on each team - Dallas Baker and Anthony Gonzalez - who alway seem responsible for moving the chains on a big down. Smitter comes with a piece on everyone's favorite QB, Tim Tebow, while I wrote my column on Chris Hetland's chance for redemption after a difficult season.

Kickers are an unusual breed. As part of the Hetland story I sat and talked with Ohio State kicker Ryan Pretorius, who is actually a 27-year-old sophomore from South Africa. He played rugby all over the world before getting into kicking and is now hoping for a shot in the NFL. In other words, he's lived in Paris, London and all over Europe ... and now lives in Columbus. "Um, well, it's not as pretty," he said, before quickly adding, "but I really do like it."

As for Hetland, everyone with the Gators (not surprisingly) thinks he'll come through if he needs to make a kick in the game. His roommate (and holder) Butch Rowley told me, "I know he will. He's a big game guy and he's been waiting for this chance." The question, of course, is if he'll even get an opportunity. Urban Meyer has said he's not real comfortable sending the kicking unit in unless the ball is inside the 20-yard line, which could make for some interesting third-down calls if Florida is in two-down territory.

The Running of the Bull (otherwise known as Media Day)

2007-01-05T16:47:00.000-05:00

First off, let me ask the question that Smitter and I debated on the way back from University of Phoenix Stadium: Has there ever been another stadium or arena named after a university that didn't have a football team? I mean, isn't the University of Phoenix just a bunch of guys sitting in an office park somewhere with a lot of computers?

Anyway, media day was the expected spectacle. Four or five players sat on big risers (as did the coach), then there were another bunch of players (the second-tier stars, I guess) scattered throughout the stands and then everyone else (the proletariat of the team) sat in a clump of seats off to the side. If you wanted one of those players, you had to wade through everyone and ask them to come out and talk.

Most Valuable Player of the media day? The woman who was responsible for sitting and transcribing the head coaches sessions -- each of which lasted a full 60 minutes. I'd never actually watched someone develop carpal tunnel syndrome before, so that was new.

After OSU finished its availability, a pack of reporters waited alongside the stands where the Gators would come in, scouting out a spot for Reggie Nelson, who hasn't spoken publicly since the death of his mother. Nelson didn't show up, however, and Urban Meyer admitted that he wouldn't be surprised if focus was - understandably - a bit of a problem for Nelson on Monday. That said, he expects Nelson to play and play well because, in his words, he's one of the best players Meyer has ever seen.

As for his pregame speech to the players, Meyer said he'll have plenty of material to draw on to fire up the team. Here's something he should point out: the seats in the stadim are painted scarlet and gray!

Travel Day, Part III

2007-01-04T22:22:00.000-05:00

The cab ride in from the airport was interesting - the cabbie's trunk was incredibly awkwardly-designed so he actually put my big suitcase in the front seat next to him and belted it in. Six days is one of those amounts of time that's just a little too much for carry-on only bag; if it was four, I probably could have gotten by with just a carry-on.

The media hotel here is out of control. Most of the time I think fans have a glorified idea of what being a sports writer is all about but at these big events it's hard to dispute the notion that we don't get a lot of perks. An hour after I checked in I walked by the front desk and saw the "media hospitality room" that is open all day and has snacks, drinks and couches to lounge around on; then in the room behind that there are video games including (my favorite) Golden Tee. It's not exactly Attica or anything.

Still, there's a lot of work ahead, too. D-Roc and Smitter are out here with me and they've both been grinding, especially D-Roc who does a great job on the Gator beat. As someone who covered the Yankees in the playoffs several times, I know how tough it can be for a beat guy at a big event - mostly, you just want to make sure you cover all the angles.

Of course, at a game like this there are few angles that don't get covered - after all, with a month's worth of lead time makes it hard to miss much. What do you think the most interesting storyline is about this match-up?

Travel Day, Part II

2007-01-04T14:45:00.000-05:00

No guest-star appearances in Dallas - only a dry turkey sandwich and a pack of UF fans hustling along with me from Terminal D to Terminal A. All flights to Phoenix are packed, which is hardly surprising. I was able to jump on my e-mail briefly and saw that Chris Leak did a press conference this morning, along with several other Florida players. As usual, Leak wasn't particularly revealing in his answers but Jemalle Cornelius had an interesting response when he was asked how he would defend against the Gators if he were an Ohio State coach. His response:

"I would probably, you know, just blitz. No matter who I was playing, I am the type of guy who would be real aggressive and just blitz and play man-to-man coverage."

Back with more when I get to Phoenix.

Travel Day, Part I (with a special guest star)

2007-01-04T09:09:00.002-05:00

Good morning from the Crown Room Club at Jacksonville airport. The first of two flights I'm taking on the way to Arizona doesn't leave until 10:30 a.m. but I got here early because The Fiancee had to drop me off on her way to Bar Review class (she's a lawyer).

Typically the sort of people you see in these clubs ranges from harried families - kids screaming, knocking over the complimentary day-old scone tray - to irritated businessmen, who are usually looking at their Blackberry constantly and appear about two seconds away from committing homicide against the bratty kids.

This morning was different. I walked into the club and it was actually pretty quiet. As soon as I came around the corner to the coffee bar I saw several thick-looking men sitting in the chairs, talking to each other. They looked like football players. And they were football players.

"What's up man?" one of them said and suddenly I realized it was Fred Taylor talking to me. He and a few buddies were waiting for their flight, too, heading west for a few days of vacation. When I asked if he was planning to make it to Phoenix for the game - Taylor was on UF's 1996 national championship team - he laughed and said he wasn't sure but he was thinking about it.

This figures to be an interesting offseason for Taylor, who is looking for a new contract and has said he might demand a trade. He wasn't interested in talking about that this morning though; after a long season, he just wanted to relax.

Double Double

2007-01-03T11:50:00.000-05:00

I know that most of you probably don't like Ohio State. That's fine. But how can you not respect a guy who begins his first press conference of the week with this?

Reporter (paraphrasing): Troy, do you think the fact that you guys are familiar with playing Bowl games in Arizona gives you any advantage?

Troy Smith: "The first thing that I am most familiar with is In-and-Out Burger, which is around the corner from our hotel. Probably the height of my day every day getting a chance to go to In-and-Out burger. I love those cheeseburgers."

Smith then goes on, later in the interview, to explain to anyone who doesn't know exactly why the burgers are so good. "For the folks back in Ohio, they need to understand first and foremost, it is a fresh burger," he said. "The lettuce and tomatoes are extremely fresh. And they toast the buns. That's huge. That's key. They toast the buns. They use a special kind of sauce, too. It is an extremely -- the sandwich is incredible after a long night."

Tasty.

Up All Night?

2007-01-02T21:20:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the late post today but I was away from my computer all day because the moving people arrived with about 5,000 pounds worth of stuff from our New York apartment. At this moment, there are approximately 200 cardboard boxes in our new place and I'm pretty sure The Fiancee is buried under packing paper somewhere. Hopefully I can locate her at some point.

I'm particularly tired today, too, because I was up till 1 a.m. last night watching the unbelievable Fiesta Bowl game in which Boise State blew a big lead, came back and then upset Oklahoma in overtime on a straight-up old school Statue of Liberty play. Seriously, the only other place I saw that work was on blacktop at Chatsworth Elementary School back in fifth grade, yet Boise pulled it out on the biggest play of their season. Not bad.

Apparently Urban Meyer wasn't able to stay awake for all the drama. At his arrival press conference in Phoenix earlier today, he was asked about the game and said: "I hate to say this, I fell asleep and my wife kept hitting me. She said it was the greatest football game she ever saw. I saw some of the coaches of Coach Petersen and Boise State. I followed them closely when Coach Hawkins was there and what a great game. To go for two at the end, I thought that was great. That's what makes the Bowl games so special."

Would Urban have the guts to pull off a play like that? I'm not so sure. Then again, he did try that fake punt in the Arkansas game, so who knows? Here's what I'm sure of: When a coach like Ohio State's Jim Tressel has almost two months to prepare, a team better show up for the game with some new tricks in its playbook. Maybe the Gators won't be running Statue of Liberty calls, but I'd be shocked if they didn't have something funky ready to go to try and throw the Buckeyes off.

Greetings from Gate A3

2007-01-01T09:34:00.000-05:00

Hello from Memphis International Airport, where the stale donuts seem to be leftover from 2006 but the wireless is free.

I'm waiting on a connecting flight from Kansas City, where the Jaguars saw their season end about mid-way through the fourth quarter yesterday. I wrote today about how the Jags season was, basically, a failure because they didn't make the playoffs. So far my email box this morning seems to indicate that many of you agree with me, though some are a little less harsh about the whole thing. To me, the playoffs are what pro sports teams are primarily judged on; fail to play in the postseason and the year wasn't a success.

Anyway, I'm headed back to Jacksonville shortly where I'll be meeting The Fiancee (fans from my old blog may remember her as The Girlfriend). The movers from New York are slated to arrive at our new place tomorrow at 8:30 a.m., so we've got a lot to do, starting with the purchase of a new car. We're thinking mid-size SUV -- decent size, not one of those tanks-with-rims that are the car du jour in the NFL.

For all those shaking off post-New Year's hangovers: My condolences. Try aspirin and orange juice. If that doesn't work, try a Bloody Mary.

New Beginnings

2006-12-29T20:08:00.000-05:00

What might 2007 bring to the sports world?

Here are three predictions:

1. Florida plays an exciting BCS title game against Ohio State but it comes down to a Chris Hetland kick to force overtime and ... well, you can guess the rest.

2. Byron Leftwich enjoys a breakout NFL season (as the new QB of the Miami Dolphins)!

3. The decision to move The Players Championship out of March looks terrific ... until everyone remembers that whole "May showers" thing.

What do you see in your crystal ball? This blog is going to be as much about you as it is about me. As the new sports columnist at the Times-Union, I'll be posting on all manner of subjects - everything from the Jags and Gators to my own transition to a new city - and hopefully you'll be responding.

Feel free to e-mail me any questions you have about, well, anything (sports, being a columnist, life in general) and I'll try to answer them in mailbag posts. We'll also do some contests, polls and, hopefully, get a pretty good dialogue going.

I'm off to Arizona in a few days for the UF-OSU game, but we've got plenty to talk about before then ...