Still another 2 months and 10 days before FIU and Rutgers kickoff the 2010 season, but the Panthers report for off-season conditioning on Wednesday when Summer B begins at the university.
When the team gets together there will be a couple of new kickers joining Jack Griffin in the kicking competition this summer.
Class 5A All-State kicker Dylan Lynch (Fletcher High and Jake Medlock's teammate) has joined FIU. Last year, Lynch made 5 field goals of 52 yards or more.
Lynch (right) is now 1 of 4 kickers vying for the FIU job along with JG and former Florida Atlantic kicker Michael Cal. Former U.S. Army All-American kicker and Homestead High's Julio Moraga is enrolled at FIU and is expected to join the Panthers as well.
Might be some more new players joining the team and when they are confirmed I will have them here for you.
PANTHER PAWSE
If you haven't seen this GW mini-documentary done by FIU's External Relations, then check it out HERE
Pretty nifty video and narrator Bill Beesting provides a Ernie Harwell-esque voiceover to the piece.
Attention: FIU football alumni, if you have any interesting anecdotes you would like to contribute to the
story on the history of FIU football that I'm writing for the Sun Belt Conference's football 10-year anniversary magazine, you can send me an e-mail and we'll talk about it.
I have already spoken with many of you alum, but I'm all ears if any of you that I have not contacted have some stories to add. Thanks.
To the GPP readers, thank you for the ideas and suggestions. They have been really helpful.
I've got plenty to get to in the program's 8+ year history. Everything from the flyover plane in the Orange Bowl to the brawl to the new stadium and fieldhouse to the emergence of the solid recruiting classes of the past few years will be covered in the story. Good thing, it's a magazine article, because the space will be needed.
Q&A
chiapanther: Pete, This is why you are the man. How about a poll question....Which Athletic program will see it's best turn around (or will have the most successful season) on the Next Athletic Year (Aug. 2010 to June 2011? Football, Basketball, Baseball, Softball, W/M Tennis, W/M Soccer, W Golf. Pete, you're welcomed to SECTION 112.
PP: Your wish is my command, check out and vote on the poll questions below the Pawse. And I'll take you up on your offer and swing by Section 112 and same goes for FIUJM.
SouthPaw: Pete, anything new on the football scholarship front? Curious to know if there are any new walk-ons expected for the Fall?
PP: Besides the new kickers, there are some new, big players expected to join the team later on. When it is official I will have it for you right here.
ThePerfectFan: Can we have a roster from Summer Ball, I mean like to know where every player is at, so that we may follow them?
PP: Working on that. Will try and get it on here as soon as I can.
Now to chiapanther's poll question. I need to split the question into men and women's teams, because the maximum number of answers per poll question allowed by the poll program is 10 and FIU has 13 teams.
So tell me which FIU men's team will have the best season in the coming athletic year (2010-11) and then which women's team will be the most successful in the next year? Vote and post your comments why. Thanks.
BIG is good, I like the kicker depth.
Posted by: FIURage | June 21, 2010 at 10:19 PM
Thanks for the info....we're hungry for info right here. Good to see that every aspect of the game (offense, defense, kicking game) is being reviewed and looked on for improvement.
Posted by: FIU Fanatic | June 21, 2010 at 11:00 PM
Thank you Jesus!!!
Posted by: True Blue | June 21, 2010 at 11:10 PM
thanks for keeping us up to date.
Posted by: panther viscosity | June 22, 2010 at 12:41 AM
There have been some more MLB signings of FIU recruits:
Vidal, Daniel Hernanez and Andres Perez-Lobo have all signed with MLB teams meaning they will not be suiting up for FIU.
Hopefully we dont lose too many more.
Posted by: Jimmy | June 22, 2010 at 08:24 AM
Thank you, Pete! I will be waiting.
Posted by: ThePerfectFan | June 22, 2010 at 08:59 AM
Damn the recruits keep signing. I thought Perez-Lobo would be in an FIU uniform. I hope TT has some other arms lined up...
Posted by: pikedanny | June 22, 2010 at 09:20 AM
hey pete was wondering what would we have to do to get the FIU marketing dept. to hand out vovozela's at the FIU rutgers game
Posted by: CJ | June 22, 2010 at 10:55 AM
Lovin' the idea CJ!
Posted by: maskaros | June 22, 2010 at 11:19 AM
Thanks for the updates pete!
Posted by: TheChampionUnderdog | June 22, 2010 at 11:31 AM
Wow! Our baseball team has been totally decimated with pro signings. I certainly hoped Perez-Lobo would show up and actually play for FIU. Apparently, Machado hasn't signed yet, but that was expected since Boras is his advisor, but of course he should sign. That means we have 7 signees/commitments already lost to the MLB draft!!
Posted by: FIU Fanatic | June 22, 2010 at 11:48 AM
Just say NO to vuvuzelas!!!! I truly hope they dont jump on the bandwagon, plus aren't artificial noisemakers banned by the ncaa???
Posted by: Tri-Panther | June 22, 2010 at 11:59 AM
No Vulvazulas. Damn things sound like a female reproductive organ. Noisemakers should be banned by the NCAA so they probably wouldnt be allowed. They might interfere with headset communications and more importantly they are annoying as hell to the coaches and players. The Marlins game was a mess and as much as David Sampson says it was a great idea and they didnt affect the players, 11 walks in 4 innings says differently. Dan Uggla said those things were annoying and it was a bad idea. So lets all take Uggla's word.
Posted by: alt7787 | June 22, 2010 at 12:44 PM
Pete,
Not sure if this is relevant to what youre writing, but would it be possible to ask El Monstrou what it was going from FIU to a team full of Miami Hurricanes (Ravens)? Did guys like Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Willis McGahee accept him with open arms or did he have to "prove" himself since he came from FIU? What were the opinions, if any, of FIU from those guys and other players around the league?
Thanks Pete!
Posted by: alt7787 | June 22, 2010 at 12:59 PM
Wow, I made a poll question!!! Thanks Pete!
Well, I voted...and it's interesting to see the opinions...42.6% on baseball, I'm not sure about that....20.6 % on Football, depends if a 5-7 record (+- 1)is to be considered a best season. 33.8 % Basketball...
Here are my two cents on baseball... in '10, the team hit .337, 483 runs, 68 hrs...
In '09, the team hit .325, 475 runs, 82 hrs..
the ERA's were Identical 5.72 and 5.74 respectively... so what was the difference, timely hitting and improved performance in the Sunbelt Tourney... other than that it was almost the same season... Here's my worry, the arms!!! We just lost one of our two best starters... and don't know about who'll be available next season...But I expect Mike Martinez to make the same improvements as Townsend did from '08 to '09, Tyler went from 14 HR to 24... Mike should go from 9 to 16 (he's got the frame and power)...So I think the offence should keep us at about 35-38 wins and another regional apperance....
But, my money is on Isaih...Basketball will have the best season! An improvement to above .500 and a deep run into the Sunbelt Tourney...
Football? I pray for 6-6 and a win over Maryland...Is that enough, not quite...And a big season from TY can mean early NFL Draft entry...Ouch!!
Posted by: chiaPanther | June 22, 2010 at 02:25 PM
did all the football recruits qualify and if not, who didn't?
Posted by: panther viscosity | June 22, 2010 at 02:28 PM
Admittedly, I don't know much about our women's athletic programs.. and haven't seen a girls event since 2002... but, how do you replace a four year all american in Volleyball and the ace/sunbelt player of the year in Softball...? So, here's hoping our girls basketball regains some of it's past dominance....
Posted by: chiaPanther | June 22, 2010 at 02:52 PM
Lets keep the vuvuzelas in soccer, thanks. ;)
Posted by: Miri | June 22, 2010 at 04:06 PM
vuvuzuelas sure are loud and annoying though.
Posted by: panther viscosity | June 22, 2010 at 05:26 PM
I think the better question is who will have the best improvement.
THere is no way Basketball can be the best in one year...but it maybe have a better turn around than baseball and football.
Posted by: FIU FPL | June 22, 2010 at 06:02 PM
im pretty sure aritficial noisemakers are banned by the sunbelt...
Posted by: TheChampionUnderdog | June 22, 2010 at 09:47 PM
Just to weigh in on something, I dont think TY will leave for the NFL draft. No matter how good a season he has. He'll need to match and or exceed his freshman year performance to have a shot at being a possible first round pick in 2012.
Posted by: alt7787 | June 24, 2010 at 01:22 AM