Fun fact: as opposing offensive coordinators, Mullen's teams have defeated Fisher's teams by a combined score of 90-27.
I am not sure what Texas A&M sees in Jimbo Fisher to guarantee him $75M. I am not sure it was worth dumping Kevin Sumlin.
As I say, that is one more reason--a smart "countermove"-- I put him at the top of their current list of targets. But, like us to a certain extent in terms of remaining "cache" (NOT in terms of money, though: Where WE have a whole slew of wealthy "go to donors" behind the scenes, along with a large hugely endowed ongoing fund givimg us deeper pockets than all but a handful of others, FSU has mainly just a relatively few "name-donors" they can turn to if and when a situation like this one arises), FSU realistically CAN go after someone who is hungry, experienced, well thought of AND seemingly ready for the "step up" to the "Annual Contender" level--and because of THEIR history the 'Noles will have a chance to get him. But at a certain point they CAN'T hold a successful Coach who is ready to listen to a "Best Offer" from someone else. Thus, A&M was able to throw ridiculous buckets of cash at the Noles' successful and apparently otherwise content Head Coach (or at least safe and settled in)...We don't KNOW much of the "behind the scenes" story there--how, why, or even IF there was any restlessness or discontent on Fisher's part; or was it JUST about a boatload of money? No matter what, UF has a history of avoiding such "threats" by quickly awarding even just moderately successful coaches big raises, tearing up contracts and voluntarily upping the ante on their own pretty damn early in a Coach's tenure--sometimes to our own detriment (to the point of misjudgement, even outright foolishness--as with MacEllwaine)...We could technically "AFFORD" that mistake, but it was going to mean not just a very expensive error with longterm consequences--but worst perhaps, at LEAST another year with a poor Coach taking us further down the road to decline, weakness and failure. The AD, power/money group around him and US (students, alumni and fans of Gator Nation) along with them, got a big break when Mac managed to give a clear reason to FIRE him "for cause".FSU could recover and grab Willie Taggart, who already recruits the Sunshine State very well and is also an offense guy by trade.
Comicon=The BEST reason by far to BE in Tallahassee today.I happen to be in Tallahassee right now for the Tallahassee Comic Convention. There are more Seminole fans at the convention than at the football stadium.
...Well, it WAS a "close, tough" game--for about another 4 minutes after my making that observation, midway in the 3rd quarter in Atlanta. But there were signs of what was coming: Auburn mistakes, coming up short in drives, leaving points on the field, their star runner injured, sucking it up but WAY off 100%. But they'd managed to thwart a healthy and on this day seemingly stronger Bulldogs squad, kept it within 1 score right up til that point well into the 3rd--then of course it all kinda "broke down in slow motion" for the Tigers, accelerating into a full on collapse in the 4th.Meanwhile, pretty good "defensive struggle" in Atlanta at the SEC Championship, btw. Not bad offense, really--just toigh D goimg both ways.
Hard to know how to feel about this one. I mean, my natural inclination is to root AGAINST UGA, of course--but I'm hardly an Auburn fan. Can't work up any real "rooting interest' for either team.
But it IS a close, tough SEC game.