FIU Panthers Prowl

FIU finishes rolling Stony

Of course Sunday ended with the starter and game-winner dragging the infield.

"That's my field duty," junior Mike Franco said after FIU's 1-0 win. "No matter even if I throw a complete game shutout, I have to do it."

Franco, who popped a 94 mph fastball Sunday, said he definitely felt he could've gone beyond his 45-pitch limit, but didn't argue with sticking to the plan to complete his recovery from last April's Tommy John surgery. He also used the word "Omaha" when talking about FIU.

Clearly, Franco felt good about himself and his team after FIU went three for three against Stony Brook Saturday and Sunday. Hey, everybody feels good when they haven't been scored on in 23 innings. FIU coach Turtle Thomas complimented the Panthers pitching, but also allowed that a northern team like Stony Brook's still thawing out their game this early in the season.

Though coming out of real winter (snow, ice), the Stony Brook fans looked just as uncomfortable in Florida winter (Sunday) as the FIU fans did. Everybody in each team's colors seemed to have a hoodie on or hunching their shoulders in a vain attempt to turn their collar into a hoodie. This wasn't Soldier Field, where Wisconsin and Minnesota ("Gophers!") played hockey Sunday, but the weather wasn't conducive to hitting, either.

Also not conducive to offense: Edwin Rios' glove. In Saturday's 10-4 win, Rios stopped a sizzling line drive down the line with the bases loaded that should've been a run-scoring double (at least). Instead, he took care of the inning's third out.

Sunday, with Stony's Austin Shives on third and one out, Rios snagged a hard grounder from Cole Peragine, fastened the runner to third with a staple gun stare, then stepped on first for the force out. A ground out to second later, FIU was out of the seventh inning.

"He's kind of our jack of all trades -- he can play second, short, first, third," Turtle Thomas said. "I told him one practice day, take ground balls at third and short. Next practice day, take 'em at second and first."

Meanwhile, umpire Damien Beal seemed to be giving pitchers half the outside batters box. Some called strikes looked closer to home plate of the nearest Tamiami Park diamond. But, credit to Beal, he maintained consistency. Neither team really adjusted to his strike zone. FIU's Zach Sweety struck out looking three times and six of FIU's eight strikeouts were with bat on the shoulder. When FIU's Mike Gomez got Shives looking in the ninth, Shives had the nerve to look at Beal with shock and dismay. The plate ump's been giving pitchers both dugouts all day, you're down 1-0 and you're taking a close two-strike pitch with a man on first in the last inning? Shives needed to save that look for the mirror.

Or Stony's third base coach. This really should've been a tie game going into the bottom of the ninth. With Peragine on first in the fourth, Steven Goldstein whistled a double down the first base line that bounced into the right field corner. Easy score for anyone faster than Fat Albert. Instead, Peragine got the hold up.

You haven't scored on a team in two days, your lineup's leadoff hitter is on first, you get a shot down the line that's at least a double, Keith Moreland and Cesar Geronimo are nowhere to be found in right field and you hold the runner? I thought the third base coach should be jumping up and down, windmilling the arms, yelling "Run, Sweetback! Run!"

Clearly, Goldstein expected Peragine to receive encouragement similar to that. He rounded second without a thought of braking until he saw Peragine reversing to third. This, of course, resulted in a rundown, Josh Anderson tagging out Peragine and FIU preserving its lead.

Sophomore shortstop Julius Gaines went three for four Sunday, seven for 10 in the series, and scored Sunday's only run.

"He's been swinging well in the three weeks we've been practicing and continued right on into the season," Thomas said. "He's gotten some added strength this year."

 

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More (mostly baseball) stuff from A Great Day at Camp Mitch

More (mostly baseball) stuff from A Great Day at Camp Mitch

 While Friday’s rain made for some long Saturdays for FIU athletes, coaches and staff, it did set up a pretty impressive Don Larsen Day for FIU: 6-0 across four teams playing at Camp Mitch Saturday, 2-0 at each venue.

Softball reversed its fortunes after a tough start last weekend with wins over UConn (3-2) and Binghamton (4-3) in the Blue/Gold Felsberg Memorial. Inside The Branch, a lot of defense and Jerica gave the women’s basketball team a 72-53 blowout of Western Kentucky. And the men’s basketball team finished the double spanking of the Hilltoppers with an 87-82 win.

Baseball took out Stony Brook 10-4 in the postponed season opener and 3-0, a game that started late but FIU pitching further delayed Stony Brook’s bats from making an appearance.

Most of this blog focuses on baseball, as that’s where I spent an hour Friday (after spending an hour and a half getting there in Friday traffic) and all day Saturday.

The baseball field’s left field lights held a lights out strike early in Game 2. Turtle Thomas, Stony Brook coach Matt Senk and the umpires got together before the third inning to discuss the matter. FIU had just cranked two deep flyouts to that increasingly dark part of the park. The lights to the adjoining soccer field got turned on as a help, an amusing idea considering the limited effect the soccer field’s lights have on darkness taking over the soccer field.

All agreed to play on. Thomas said if Senk had wanted the game halted, FIU would’ve stopped.

“Because they’re our guests.” Thomas said.

Four new pitchers did a masterful job for FIU Saturday. Stony Brook roughed up Game 1 starter Mike Ellis a bit with only four hits, but four runs, all earned, in four innings.  Junior college transfer Ty Sullivan tamed the rowdy Stony Brook bats for four innings before freshman Dillion Maya finished the show. In Game 2, FIU brooked no rowdiness from The Brook as Tyler Alexander gave up four hits in six innings and Mitchell Davis allowed two baserunners while striking out three in two innings. Senior Mike Gomez put the bow on the game, easily.

Here’s three of the new guys on their night.

Alexander:  “I do the chart (for the first game’s pitchers), so I was ready for whatever. I knew that if I came hard and live off my change up a little bit, then I could come back in with the hard stuff. It seemed to work.

“I feel like they struggled with the fastball. They were sitting on speed. They waited on the first pitch strike. They made you throw that first strike.”

Sullivan:  “All through those four innings, I noticed they were an aggressive team, but at the same time, they were patient. They were picking and choosing pitches. I could see why they were a College World Series team. They didn’t lay off anything that was off the plate. When I went out there, my goal was just pound it, pound it. Especially with guys on base in big situations, throw that off speed stuff for strikes. “

“They were really patient hitters, but when they got their pitch, they were really aggressive on it. So if it was in the strike zone, they were attacking it. In first two or three innings for me, they were looking for that fastball up, but I threw a couple of changeups and sliders that would break late. They swing over the top of a lot of those, so that started to work well.”

Mitchell Davis: “I had a live fastball today. A lot of off speed, my slider, my go-to pitch was on. Can’t complain on that. Changeup was a little off. Figured it out. Got that working and once I had all three working, it was no shot for the other team.”

If Davis sounds confident, well, yeah. Facing his first batter with the game scoreless, he fielded a grounder, then launch a shoulder missile wide and far of first. The runner got sacrificed to third.

“I knew I could get out of that and keep us tied up so we could get the lead next inning,” Davis said.

He got Anthony Italiano to fly out to second, walked leadoff hitter Cole Peragine, then struck out Steven Goldstein. The next inning, FIU took a 1-0 lead.

Davis, who went to Grayson County College, then Northeast Texas Junior College before coming to FIU, made the National Honor Society in high school.

(Hearing “National Honor Society” always reminds me of this piece of Dolphins trivia: the Dolphins only playoff team of the last decade, 2008, had a Rhodes Scholar candidate at quarterback, Chad Pennington, and three former National Honor Society members. Two you could predict: son of an Stanford professor Greg Camarillo and Donald Thomas, a UConn graduate raised in the shadow of Yale. The third? Channing Crowder.)

Anyway, someone with the intellect and/or work ethic to be a National Honor Society member going to a junior college is akin to someone with four-star recruit physical ability playing Division II.

“It was a pretty difficult decision,” Davis said. “I decided it was a good opportunity. I got injured my senior year. So, juco was my route because I didn’t get offered to big time D-1s like I wanted to. I knew I needed to get my name out there.”

Davis said the academic scholarships he could get didn’t cover as much as the academic-athletic or the athletics-only scholarships baseball might bring.

“(He and his family) just get by so I needed as much help as I could get,” the Fort Worth native said.

Another new pitcher from Texas, Corpus Christi’s Mike Franco, got penciled in as the Sunday starter earlier this week. When Franco whistled a 95 to 96 mph fastball in preseason training, it rated not on the Wow Factor scale, but on the Say What? Factor scale.

“It was one of those days,” Franco said. “There’s adrenaline going, first time being out of the mound in a couple of months, coming back from my injury and I just felt good.”

Franco’s coming off Tommy John surgery last April after tearing ligaments in his elbow. That he’s pitching at all speaks to persistence.

“Truthfully, a lot of people were (wondering) if I would even come back by this season,” Franco said. “Coach Thomas didn’t think I was going to come back for this season. I was determined to throw this year. I couldn’t sit out another year.”

Even should Franco start later today, he’ll be on a pitch count that increases by five each weekend. Still, that kind of fastball injects some anticipation into Sunday afternoon’s series closer.

 

Baseball fall; Old Dominion, New Conference; More Ashley

Last week, FIU baseball coach Turtle Thomas likened his team to a football team that couldn't stop anybody when their offense is clicking, couldn't score when the defense is clicking or special teams failed badly enough to upend the whole mix. To use Thomas' metaphor, Thursday and Friday, FIU couldn't stop the early bombing, then coulnd't stop FAU in the two-minute drill.

And it could cost FIU the No. 3 seed in the Sun Belt Conference tournament.

Friday, reliever Michael Gomez took a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the ninth and left with a 4-3 loss that gave FAU the Sun Belt regular season title. The collapse wasted a fine start by Mike Ellis, which was an improvement on Thursday. Eddy Pidermann got pummeled for six runs in the first inning of a 12-2 blowout. 

Statistical oddity: Oscar Aguirre came into this series with zero home runs on the season. He has two solo shots in the first two games.

The two losses leave FIU at 15-14 in Sun Belt play, the same as South Alabama, which took two of three from FIU up there this season. FIU ends the regular season this afternoon at FAU hours before South Alabama hosts Troy in its regular season closer.

OLD NEWS

So Old Dominion joins Conference USA, putting the league at 14 members. My first thought was "Oh, cool, Cindy Russo and Inge Nissen coaching against their alma mater twice a year now!" Russo and Nissen played for ODU back when it ruled the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women and the NCAA barely acknowleged women's sports. (young fans or participants in women's sports who want a historical perspective where we are now versus where we used to be should check out Sports Illustrated's recent issue on the 40th anniversary of Title IX and the story that discusses the AIAW).

It also means one more school FIU should own in football for a while. ODU just restarted its program in 2009 and will go FBS (Division I in any other sports' language) in 2015.

SOFTBALL

Senior outfielder Ashley McClain got named to the All-South Second Team by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. McClain, a First Team All-South honree in 2010 and 2011, is the first FIU player to be All-South three times. 

Softball beats Troy 4-1 in Sun Belt tournament

With Mariah Dawson pitching, FIU dumped Troy 4-1 and will face the winner of No. 2 seed South Alabama vs. No. 7 Louisiana-Monroe Thursday.

So, let's just say they'll be facing South Alabama tomorrow.

SUBHEAD

In talking to Turtle Thomas for the story that ran in The Herald today on Mike Martinez, I asked him if the team missed Martinez in the season opening series against top 10 ranked Rice. Martinez, for a violation of team rules, didn't play in the series.

Thomas nodded that he thought Martinez would've made a difference in the extra innings loss, which FIU led 4-3 late in the game. Having Martinez's bat could've meant an extra run, thus giving FIU a big early season win.

Thomas figures the only way back to the NCAA Regionals is to win the Sun Belt tournament. He thinks only one Sun Belt team will make it and he's probably right -- FAU has the conference's best RPI at No. 78 in the nation. FIU is No. 118

Women's hoop; Beaupre diving; Big Game sez The Big Guy; Ashley, Ashley

To quickly summarize what could be either a fantastic or fantastically disappointing two days for FIU athletics….

In contrast to the one-and-done men’s hoop team, the FIU women ballers came from behind Sunday to take out Denver 67-59 -- 18 second-half points by sophomore guard Jerica Coley -- and now face No. 1 seed Middle Tennessee State in a Sun Belt Conference Tournament semifinal.

FIU lost to Middle by five at Murfreesboro and by 14 at The Branch. Up near Nashville, FIU held advantages in rebounds (42-31), shooting from the field (44.0 percent to 36.5 percent) and the line (eight of 11 greater than five of nine). But they went one of eight from three-point range to Middle’s seven of 28 and committed 24 turnovers to Middle’s 13.

Out near Sweetwater, a trio of threes propelled a 13-2 early second half run that erased FIU’s eight-point halftime lead. Also, FIU shot only nine free throws to Middle’s 25.

In the pool – or above the pool, then in the pool -- sophomore Sabrina Beaupre dives today in the NCAA Regional to qualify for next week’s NCAA Championships.

Tuesday, FIU baseball faces Boston College. Turtle Thomas deflected all questions about Wednesday’s exhibition against the Marlins by saying his focus is entirely on BC.

"Boston College will be a great RPI game," Thomas said. "That'll be the best RPI game except Florida State and Rice. That is a huge game." 

Thomas said redshirt sophomore Eddy Pidermann would start against BC.

SOFTBALL

Ashley McClain’s two RBI Sunday pushed her career total to an FIU-record 138 as the 8-11 Panthers beat Oregon State 4-1.

Friday and Saturday, FIU hosts the FIU Invitational, double-headers against DePaul and Delaware.

SPRINGING

Because sponsors for the yearly PGA event on The Blue Monster change every few years, this is simply referred to by local golf scribes as Doral Week. That means, for the third consecutive year, I’ll be buried in bunkers and birdies and ball strikers until they hand out the big check on Sunday. Unless I see Kedrick Rhodes or Jake Medlock running up the 18^th fairway, others will be handling spring football for us this week.

 

 

Extra Bases from Friday...

Some stuff from Friday night's 6-5 baseball win against Brown in the home opener...

The night before lefthanded sophomore pitcher Michael Ellis gets his start against Brown, he helped produced the game-winning run. Senior Mike Martinez, who went two for three (.533 this season) and walked twice, joked after the game about junior Adam Kirsch continually seeking counsel about his swing and said he told Kirsch he was fine. Kirsch admitted he was asking about quite a bit, but felt he'd missed on some good pitches earlier in the game. Kirsch said Ellis advised that he was getting his foot down late.

The next time up, Kirsch got a first pitch fastball and put it over the fence to break a 5-5 tie.

Freshman shortstop Julius Gaines has five errors in seven games so far, but head coach Turtle Thomas said, Julius is a freshman. He’s played every inning of all seven games. He’ll continue to play because he’s a good player. He’ll figure it out sooner or later.”

Thomas seemed to have more concern about redshirt junior starter Mason McVay, who didn't get the Ivy League visitors under control until the third inning or so.

“That’s what’s happening with him right now," Thomas said. "He goes out , struggles the first couple of innings, he settles in, he does fine as long as he stays in the game. The problem is, he’s got to figure it out earlier so he doesn’t throw 70 pitches the first two innings. Four innings, he had 95 pitches.”

That said, Thomas also complimented Brown on tenacity at the plate. One of the reasons McVay reached such a high pitch count in the first two innings was the Bears weren't leaving anything up to the umpire. If it was close, they were swinging and making contact and foul balls were fine with them.

 

Hitters, throwers, no catchers...

For an unspecified violation of team rules, two seniors, infielder Mike Martinez and right-handed pitcher Logan Dodds, have been suspended for the baseball team's season-opening series against Rice.

There will be a fuller season preview/series preview story in Friday's Herald, but one tidbit -- it looks like FIU's starting pitching rotation will be lefthanded R.J. Fondon, lefthanded former late reliever Mason McVay -- "He threw five nnings on Saturday and was not sore the next day at all, which was good. he came up to me and made that comment specifically," FIU coach Turtle Thomas said -- and righty Jose Lazaro, a freshman from Puerto Rico via North Broward Prep.

TRACK AND FIELD

What's cool about junior Benia Gregoire being named Sun Belt Field Athlete of the Week for winning the weight throw at the Tiger Paw Invitational at Clemson? Well, other than doing it with a throw of 20.49 meters and being ranked ninth in the nation.

Gregoire's part of the track team. No sport at FIU labors with such comically poor facilities. 

My middle school track teammates, high school track teammates and every school we faced would laugh like we were watching Benny Hill if a coach suggested we practice in such a space.

SOFTBALL

Senior outfielder Ashley McClain is one of the 30 finalists for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award, an award honoring the all-around good person/athlete types who attain high standards of character, schoolwork, community involvement and playing well.

McClain made the Sun Belt Honor Roll for the 2010-11 school year on her way to a bachelor's in criminal justice. Now, she's working on a public administration degree.

 

 

Some football recruiting stuff; Diamond Dinner

For Haines City outside linebacker Josh Glanton, the choice between FIU, where he verbally committed during the fall, and Syracuse is hard enough that he's starting to stress over it. FIU defensive line coach Cedric Calhoun was scheduled to swing by for a visit Tuesday afternoon.

One recruiting service reports speedy Jackson High wide receiver DeAndre Jasper has committed to FIU, but would like to wind up at Marshall, which had a 11 players from Dade and Broward on their roster for the Beef O' Brady's Bowl. A source says Jasper definitely will choose FIU on Signing Day.

 

FIU's still in the hunt for Travares Copeland, who played quarterback at Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast this year after transferring from Fort Pierce Westwood, but might be used at any of the skill positions. He just entertained West Virginia on a home visit. Scouting report I got from up there: great athlete, tremendous arm ("50 or 60 yards off the back foot"), but too Me Centric, will need some grounding from the coaching staff and team leaders.

 

DIAMOND DINNER

 FIU baseball coach Turtle Thomas is hoping for a sellout of all 500 seats to this year's Diamond Dinner, a fundraising event and season first pitch event for the baseball and softball programs. Last year, 435 attended the event at the Graham Center Ballroom.

The human draw for this year's event is special guest speaker Lou Piniella, former Yankee, Kansas City Royal and, at the start of his career, Clevelnad Indian player and manager of the Cubs, Reds, Devil Rays, Mariners and Yankees (during the years when the Yankees changed managers like Starbucks changes baristas). Thomas said the timing worked for getting the recently-retired Piniella and they're working on getting former Cardinals, A's and White Sox manager Tony LaRussa for next year's event.

Along with dinner, alcohol and stories from Piniella (in "The Umpire Strikes Back," the late former umpire Ron Luciano's first book with David Fisher, Luciano recalled the night Piniella ran for the cycle -- got thrown out at every base), there are 21 live auction items and 200 silent auction items. The items range from trips to the Indianapolis 500, U.S. Open, the Ryder Cup (flights, hotels, tickets) to a trio of basketballs each signed by either Larry Bird, Magic Johnson or Michael Jordan.

For ticket information, call 305-348-1919. 

OUR CLOSING ACT

10 - It Keeps You Runnin' [Single Version]

 

Football Gameday XII, Men's Hoop Home Opener

Things have been quiet in this corner of The Herald blog world the last few days. I had some Dolphins duty Wednesday and Thursday. Wednesday, though I wasn't assigned to it, I would've gone by FIU's football practice if it didn't occur the same time as Grandparents Day Thanksgivng Assembly at my daughter's school. I don't miss assemblies -- period. And I don't go to Thanksgiving practices unless ordered to do so. My job on Thanksgiving around our house used to be to start and maintain the mimosa flow as the wife cooked turkey, two kinds of stuffing, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes . Since my daughter's arrival, I occupy her on Thanksgiving when she isn't helping the wife and start the mimosa flow a little later in the day.

And the only "Black Friday" I deal with is on the Steely Dan album Aja. I don't think of the day after Thanksgiving as "Black Friday" unless it's short for lay-my-Black-butt-on-the-couch-and-watch-football-and-eat-leftovers Friday.

So, FIU vs. Middle Tennessee State. You really want in-depth analysis of a season closer against a 2-8 team that's probably pulled the chute like Don Garlits crossing the line? Brotha, please. FIU wins 38-14.

But that's just one black man's opinion. I could be wrong.

What you really want to know about, if you want o know about anything, is the bowl sitation. I'm not going through all the permutations. It's late, I'm tired and it's the kind of thing that makes even my eyes glaze over. Reader's Digest form: FIU needs as few bowl eligible teams as possible elsewhere, particularly in the SEC, Conference USA and the Big East. So, FIU fans if you see a team with five wins playing a team that already has six wins or no shot at six wins, root for Team B.

Also, FIU needs to hope selectors look at the pluses.

Plus: FIU should have a nice 8-4 record. Plus: FIU's a fun team to watch -- touchdowns from way back there, on any kind of play, games with drama. They'll give you the kind of show The Holiday Bowl used to every year (in fact, last year's Pizza Bowl seemed an offspring of the Holiday Bowl during my teens). Minus: FIU will be fourth in the Sun Belt behind another bowl eligible team, Western Kentucky. Big Minus: FIU doesn't travel better than anybody. Nobody with six brain cells really blames FIU for this. The rest of the country gets it when they bother to think about it -- the school draws the vast majority of its students from an area much of the country wishes they could get to, not leave, in December or January.

I'll let you know if there are any bowl scouts gladhanding around the press box Saturday.

Oh, last week, Louisiana-Monroe's Kolton Browning running or throwing on almost every second half play reminded me of two strips from Bull Tales, the college predecessor of long-running comic strip Doonesbury. In trying to get this out as soon as possible with flights, connections and breakfast, I forgot to track them down to include here. Click on the link, http://www.doonesbury.com/strip/archive/yale and go to strips Nos. 4 and 5. The quarterback, B.D., was a takeoff on Yale quarterback Brian Dowling, who had his fellow Yalies so giddy in 1968, one student said, "The thing on most campuses is saying, 'God is dead.' We think he's wearing No. 10." The player with the comeback in No. 4 is a takeoff on running back Calvin Hill, who would go on to produce a fine NFL career and basketball star Grant Hill.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

A "chanticleer" is, basically, a chicken. A tough chicken that's the Alpha Chicken of the yard.

That's Coastal Carolina's nickname. Tonight, the Panthers try to keep control of their yard for the first time this season. Coastal's already beaten quality programs Clemson and Maryland on their way to a 5-0 record. FIU (1-3) needs a good result, something positive before young spirits sink despite older folks best efforts. 

So Happy Together -- FIU extends Turtle Thomas' deal

FIU has given baseball coach Henry "Turtle" Thomas a new five-year deal that'll run out after the 2016 season. Thomas was working on a contract that ran out after the 2014 season.

"We're just being proactive," FIU athletic director Pete Garcia said. "We're trying to keep good coaches and he's done a great job here. I still feel he's the best college baseball coach in America. I think he's going to take us to the College World Series and championships. He knows how to do the whole package."

Garcia lauded Thomas' success on the field (130-104-1, 2010 Sun Belt title, NCAA Regional appearances each of the last two years) and off (the 2011 Academic Progress Report score was 990, the program's highest ever).

By the way, if 2016 sounds familiar, that's also when football coach Mario Cristobal's deal runs out and, as Garcia himself pointed out, his own.

"Somebody could swoop in and pay a buyout and get your coach, but I want to make sure the valuable pieces here stay here as long as possible," he said.

What he didn't say is if all three are still around in 2016 -- an IF the size of the national debt -- this creates a nice situation for them if they choose to act as an informal unit, notwithstanding Garcia being theoretically Cristobal and Thomas' direct superior.

More after this moment from the WABAC machine:

 

Another newsy tidbit: Garcia also said the school already has sold over 10,000 season tickets for football and has surpassed last year's final number.

Futbol news: an Aug. 29 home game against Florida Tech was added to the FIU women's soccer schedule Monday. That season starts Friday at Stetson, and we'll be giving that team some blog love in the next couple of days.

 

FIU At The Movies -- Episode IV

Four years ago in a blog not that far, far away from you....it began as a simple way of recapping the FIU sports year. After smashing box office records, a sequel was called for in 2008. Then, although the GPP did not sign for a three picture deal, there were no issues in making the trilogy last summer.

And now....FIU At The Movies, Episode IV.

A look at the FIU sports year by referring to motion pictures released during the Panthers athletic season (August 2009 to June 2010). Cell phones off please. And now your feature presentation.....

The Goods -- FIU softball has the goods as it gets its 1st NCAA Tournament win and features the Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year (Kasey Barrett), Sun Belt Player of the Year (Ashley McClain), Sun Belt Freshman of the Year (Brie Rojas) and Sun Belt Coach of the Year (Beth McClendon).

Final Destination 4 -- No. 4's final destination is the end zone. Just ask Kansas (2008) and Alabama (2009) as the first time Goodbye touches the ball in each of his first 2 seasons, he takes it back for 6.

The Open Road -- FIU hoops late November/December schedule where the Panthers spent 24 days on the road.

All About Steve -- Sun Belt voters got it wrong when they picked some dude from North Texas as the winner of the SBC Basketball Tournament halftime dance-off. How could you not vote for Vanessa (right)?

Play The Game -- Why won't the Coral Gables school play FIU? Nah, never mind, I won't bother anymore.

Gamer -- Scott "El Oso" Bryant (left) breaks the all-time FIU tackles record held by Keyonvis Bouie.

Whiteout -- What Scott Rembisz's pitching did to opposing Sun Belt bats at the conference tournament.

The Other Man -- The Hooters were looking at Carlos Munera to punt, but fullback John Ellis had the ball on the fake punt and rumbled 25 yards to set up the tying TD.

Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs -- The SBC Baseball tourney started cloudy, but once FIU broke that "pressure barrier" as TT calls it, the Panthers (right) were hitting meatballs the rest of the way en route to the Sun Belt title.

Bright Star -- Marlon Bright wins the Sun Belt's Behavior Award among his many accomplishments during his FIU career.

Free Style -- Actually, 3 Style for FIU women's hoopster Monika Bosilj, who broke the program's all-time record for 3 pointers with 188.

Adventures Of Power -- Jabari Henry (Freshman All-American, SBC Frosh of the Year) leads FIU with 12 HR. Jabari homers in 1st college at-bat (3-run bomba vs. Maryland) and to finish his first season at FIU, Jabari homers off MLB's No. 6 overall pick Barret Loux of Texas A&M.

One Good Man -- Long time FIU media relations guru Rich Kelch retires last December. Don't know much about Rich, then click HERE

Good Hair -- Garrett Wittels' "bird's nest" (left) does not get cut during his 56-game hitting streak. It must be good hair.

AstroBoy -- FIU QB Paul McCall graduates and heads off to Mars training in the desert.

Hubble 3D -- How Sun Belt Tournament MVP Jeremy Patton's eyes saw the baseball in Murfreesboro.

Saw VI -- Only the Dade County Youth Fair stopped Jeremiah Harden when he turned the corner and saw 6 in the spring game. He'll see more 6s this fall.

As Seen Through These Eyes -- GW and Robin Ventura talk about what only their 56+ hit streak eyes have experienced.

The Fourth Kind -- Yarimar Rosa (left), with another out-of-this-world season, is honored with a 4th All-American nod. The first 4-time All-American at FIU and probably the greatest volleyball player ever at FIU.

Storm -- On a scorching Halloween day, FIU storms back in the final minute and wins in OT against Louisiana. PMC hits Greg Ellingson for 6 in the back of the end zone with 10 seconds left in the 4th quarter. Dustin Rivest kicks the winning FG. Tyler Clawson dominates on D in OT and Tourek Williams blocks the tying field goal attempt to seal the victory.

The Other Side Of Paradise -- My day as Dazzlers audition judge (right). I'm ready for 2011.

Legion -- Alex Legion transfers to FIU and the legion of top recruits for the 2010-11 hoops season headed to FIU.

Mammoth -- Mike Martinez's moonshot HR at the SBC tourney. Ball landed inside the Middle Tennessee football stadium which has 2 decks so the ball had to clear the 2nd deck. Although, there is a rumor that the ball is still travelling somewhere along the interstate pass Murfreesboro and heading to Churchill's in downtown Nashville.

Green Zone -- They may be green by class designation -- freshmen -- but these Sun Belt Freshmen of the Year are not green on the field or court. FIU's Jabari Henry (baseball), Brie Rojas (softball) and Jovana Bjelica (volleyball) all won the conference's Freshman of the Year Award in their respective sports.

Kick Ass -- Once again the FIU volleyball team (right) is at the top of the Sun Belt and coach Danijela Tomic wins another Sun Belt Coach of the Year Award.

Hey Watch This -- GW decides to hit in 56 straight games and captures the nation's attention.

The Good Heart -- FIU DB and Rudy Finalist O'Darris D'Haiti (left)and what he does each day for his family.

Touching Home -- What the FIU baseball lineup did a lot of this season with their XBox .337 team batting average.

Oceans -- Actually, it's pools for FIU diver Namiko Shibata, who was named the Sun Belt's Most Outstanding Diver this past season.

Endgame -- The closing abilities of FIU receivers coach Frank Ponce, who was named the Sun Belt's Top Recruiter this past season.

Whiz Kids -- FIU's APR improvements by its teams. Especially, the baseball team that scored an FIU baseball-best 975 and who broke even in practice hours -- yeah, they lost 2 hours a week, but also gained 2 hours back due to their solid 975 score. No scholarship losses and no postseason ban.

Waking Sleeping Beauty -- Yes, the sleeping giant has been dozing for a while, but in the past year the sleeping giant garned a Sun Belt baseball title and NCAA Tournament appearances by the baseball, softball and volleyball teams. Women's soccer and tennis teams became 2009-10 regular season Sun Belt champions and top recruits arriving in all sports at FIU.

  

Opening Game Time; FIU/MLB Draft

 
The time has been announced for the Rutgers/FIU football season opener on Sept. 11. The Scarlet Knights and Panthers will kick it off at 8 p.m. as the game will be televised by ESPN GamePlan and ESPN3.com.

The game will also be shown on tape delay locally on Channel 39. Here is the fiusports.com release

Post your thoughts on the opening game kickoff time and vote down below.

FIU/MLB DRAFT

Tonight is the 1st round of the 2010 MLB Draft. FIU signee and Brito shortstop Manny Machado was picked 3rd overall by the Baltimore Orioles.

FIU signee and catcher Kellin Deglan was taken No. 22 overall by the Texas Rangers.

Looks like two scholarships just opened up.

Texas A&M righthander Barret Loux, who defeated FIU in the regional last Friday, was taken No. 6 overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

You can check back here to see should any other signed Panther or future Panther go in the 1st round. And I will also post here any other Panthers that get drafted in the next two days of the draft which runs through Wednesday when the 50th round is completed.

PANTHER PAWSE

You good people are more than welcomed to post whatever you like on the GPP, but please keep it clean and stick to 1 screen name.

anonymous you had a conversation with yourself in the last post when you used xyz. And you've also used jli, jl and fiuer (not FIUer, who has been posting on here since the blog started).

gabster, you joined the GPP as Miguel Alfonso, then went to cane4life, fiu2big2tall, throwback.

You are both welcomed on here, but use one name.

Q&A

UltimateFIUFan: Hey Pete, let us know the status of FIU football players in NFL. I've heard rumors of trade talks with Antwan Barnes. How about Chandler Williams, is he with the Chiefs? Last season's players Levine, Bryant, etc., what their status? Thanks.

PP: Antwan could be moved, because the Ravens drafted Sergio Kindle, who would take some snaps from El Monstruo. CW is still in KC. Nothing new on Andy or El Oso.

Gooch7: PETE: I think GW season is one of the best by ANY FIU athletes in school history but don't forget Tayna Lawerence 2nd place finish in the 100m Dash (Track)! Then followed it up with One Bronze, Two Silver, and One Gold Medal in TWO olympics.. Not bad for a Golden Panther!

PP: And let's not forget former FIU track star and Olympian Ronald Forbes.

Lot of debate in the last few posts about TT's decision to hold back Scott Rembisz for a possible Sunday matchup with Texas A&M or UM. My 3 cents on it is that if FIU could not beat a team (Dartmouth) with a team ERA of nearly 7.00 (6.97 ERA before the game vs. FIU) then the Panthers have no business playing Sunday against either top 25 team.

Should FIU have won against the Big Green, Rembisz gave the Panthers the best shot of defeating either the Aggies or Hurricanes.

Right now, I don't think any other pitcher on the FIU staff could have hung with A&M or UM if Rembisz defeats Dartmouth and FIU plays Sunday.

Yes, it's a roll of the dice that did not come up for FIU, but like TT said he was thinking of winning the entire regional and not just one game.

This kind of debate is the beauty of sports where everyone has their opinion on how they would have played it. It's great.

What's your opinion on this and the Sept. 11 kickoff time?

Online Surveys & Market Research

Online Surveys & Market Research

LIVE Q&A BLOG w/Turtle; FIU vs. Texas A&M on Friday

Good afternoon and welcome to the LIVE Q&A BLOG with FIU's 2010 Sun Belt Champions coach Turtle Thomas. We will be getting underway about 1:45 p.m. because the celebration here in the FIU Stadium Club is going longer than expected.

Big crowd here for the FIU baseball team learning that they will play Texas A&M on Friday afternoon in Coral Gables. Likely a 2 p.m. game but that has not been confirmed yet.

Thanks to TT for taking time out to join us here. TT will be around for 45 minutes to answer your questions about the Panthers magical season thus far.

Around 1:45 p.m. you can start to submit your questions below. Unlike the live game blogs, there won't be all access to this blog in order to keep the blog from being cluttered with so many questions at one time. So post your questions and I'll move them over and TT will answer them.

Selection Watch Party Monday & LIVE Q&A with Turtle

Followed the Sun Belt Tournament by watching the Sun Belt Network and CSS all throughout and will have a Sun Belt Champs blog for you after this one, plus where FIU will likely play the regional and why.

FIU baseball will hold an NCAA Tournament Selection Watch Party on Monday at 12:00 p.m. at the FIU Stadium Club. Been told it's free admission and everyone is invited and there will be food and drinks.

Also, if you can't make the watch party, afterwards Turtle Thomas will join me on the GPP for a LIVE Q&A BLOG with you good people. The coach of the 2010 Sun Belt Champions will be taking your questions for about 45 minutes.

The LIVE Q&A with TT is expected to begin around 1:30 p.m. depending how long the ESPN selection show goes. The selection show is scheduled from 12:30 to 1:00 p.m. on ESPN but ESPN had the softball selection show go 1 hour a couple of weeks ago, so check here for updates on when TT will be on.

3-0, Not Bad

Good start to the season for the FIU baseball team by sweeping Maryland over the weekend -- capped off by a grand slam by Pablo Bermudez (left, thanks Alex J. Hernandez photo). Although it's just three games, the Panthers looked solid in all three aspects of the game: pitching, defense and hitting.

But a better measure of how much FIU has improved from last season awaits this coming weekend when Oral Roberts comes to Miami for a 3-game series. The Golden Eagles have won their conference 12 straight years.

Still, there was plenty to be encouraged about from the first 3 games of the season.

PITCHING

First a look at the pitching, because everything in baseball begins with pitching. Friday's starter Scott Rembisz had one bad inning in an otherwise good outing. Starters Corey Polizzano and Aaron Arboleya pitched well too. CP moves up in the rotation this season with the Red Sox loss of Tom Ebert. Arboleya goes from mid-week starter last season to the Sunday guy this year.

While the starters gave up just 2 earned runs in 16 innings against the Terrapins, they weren't really challenged. UM batters seemed to be swinging like they just got out from under the snow in Maryland -- which they might have. Look for a more challenging test from the Oral Roberts lineup next weekend. Those Eagles can swing the bats.

The Panthers bullpen started out the season in dominant fashion. In 11 relief innings in the series, FIU relievers gave up 1 run. When Friday's game was still hanging in the balance, reliever Eric Berkowitz made quick work of the Terps in his 3 innings until FIU put the game away late.

On Sunday, R.J. Fondon -- who for now will pitch out of the bullpen, because he's the only lefty FIU has in the pen -- prevented the series finale from becoming interesting. R.J. (right, thanks Sam Lewis photo) allowed just one run on a wild pitch when he had to work out of a bases loaded, no out jam in the sixth inning.

DEFENSE

FIU's defense looked better this past weekend than it did most of last season. The Panthers are certainly going to need better D this season, especially with the lack of a strikeout pitcher in their rotation. There are going to be a lot more balls in play from opponents' bats this season.

Among the defensive highlights from the opening series: Garrett Wittels (left, thanks AJH photo) acting like Brooks Robinson and diving on the 3rd base foul line to snare a grounder and throw out the runner at 1st. And freshman left fielder Jabari Henry showing off his cannon from left field to throw out a Terp at the plate in the 2nd inning of Saturday's game.

HITTING

At the plate, FIU has always been able to hit and that's no exception this season. Although in Sunday's game, the Panthers gave away some at-bats that if they had been more patient would have had better swings and possibly put up double digits in runs again.

Wittels (7 for 12) and Bermudez (6 for 11) led the Panthers in hitting against UM. Wittels woke up the FIU lineup with a bunt base hit on Friday that sparked a 4-run rally. Of course, it also helped that after 4 innings of trying to pull everything UM starter Brett Harman was throwing, the Panthers started going opposite field and got their bats going.

In that 4-run rally, Bermudez had a 2-run single to bring home FIU's first two runs of the season and on Sunday the sophomore from the Miami Springs-to-FIU pipeline hit the granny to provide the Panthers runs.

Bermudez was named the Sun Belt Baseball Player of the Week on Monday.

Newcomer Yoandy Barroso had a good series going 4 for 8 in his FIU debut. Tim Jobe hit 1 of FIU's 2 home runs in Saturday's win. The other came from Jabari Henry, whose moonshot in his first college at-bat landed around mid-field of the FIU soccer field.

Henry (right, thanks Victoria Lynch photo) has played just 2 college games, but he looks like he will be a very special player. Yes, his throw from left field and his 3-run bomba were impressive for the freshman's first game, but what stood out just as much was his 2nd college at-bat after the dinger.

In his 2nd at-bat, Henry fell behind 1-2 and had the discipline to lay off two consecutive borderline strikes [pitchers' pitches] that were called balls and worked a walk. I think 98% of freshmen would have swung and missed at one of those two pitches. That's one reason Henry was drafted by the Texas Rangers out of high school and I'm not talking about the Chuck Norris Walker Texas Rangers.

PANTHER PAWSE

Below the Pawse vote on what you think of FIU's 3-0 start.

Will have a LIVE HOOPS BLOG from Thursday's FIU/Middle Tennessee game. It's the second to last game of the regular season before the Sun Belt tourney begins on Saturday, March 6 in Hot Springs, Ark. Will be live blogging from there too.

Q&A

Gooch7: PETE: I was hoping for a longer story about the Softball tournament that went on this past weekend. That team is on FIRE! 7-1 start is pretty damn good! Second best start in school history..

PETE: I have another very important question for you: DO YOU THINK FOOTBALL WILL DO SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR THE OPENER AGAINST RUTGERS? SOFTBALL TEAM WORE JERSEYS THAT THEY AUCTION AFTER THE GAME. FOOTBALL CAN MAKE A KILLING DOING THAT!!

PP: FIU softball will get in the colleges column in this coming Saturday's paper. I've heard there are ideas being kicked around for the home opener against Rutgers on 9/11. How about FIU football wears khaki-colored camouflage jerseys similar to what the San Diego Padres (right, two photos) wear to honor the military during their Sunday home games throughout the regular season?

So what does a sweep of UM and a 3-0 start to the season mean for FIU?

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Turtle Thoughts

Pitchers and catchers started reporting to major league camps today and tommorrow throughout Florida and Arizona. They're breaking out cases of new pearly, white baseballs all throughout the two states. It's a great time of year.

In less than 48 hours, FIU right-hander Scott Rembisz will take one of those pearly, white baseballs and fling it across the plate with some Terrapin standing in the box to open the 2010 FIU baseball season.

Let's get some thoughts from FIU coach Turtle Thomas (left, thanks Alex J. Hernandez photo) on the upcoming season that begins with a home 3-game series this Friday against Maryland.

Several players and coaches have mentioned that the bullpen seems to be the strong point of the team. Would you agree with that?

TT: I think it would be the bullpen. We have 4 or 5 good guys down there. We're hoping Eric Berkowitz can be that middle reliever for us along with Dillon Vitale. Eric gave us some good innings last year. Bryam Garcia and Jorge Marban will start out the season as the closers. Garrett Wittels, who closed in high school, has got some good stuff. Alberto Cardenas has also got the ability to close and pitch in the late innings.

With lefties Mason McVay and Justin Leith out with arm injuries there are no lefties in the pen. Is that a concern?

TT: Freshman Dillon Vitale throws like a lefty. He throws a lot of change-ups like lefties do. Now Justin Leith we could have him back by March. He's begun his throwing program and the doctors have said he could be back pitching sometime in March. Mason might not be out for the year. That's not 100% that is he out for the season. He's well ahead in his recovery from Tommy John surgery.

You lost Tom Ebert (Red Sox) and Miguel Mejia (Tigers) from the starting rotation. How do you see your rotation lining up this season?

TT: Scott Rembisz (right, thanks AJH photo) will be our Friday night starter and Corey Polizzano will move up to the Saturday spot, because he has the experience and he's done it before. The Sunday spot is up for grabs between Aaron Arboleya and R.J. Fondon. They both pitched well in fall ball. I'm not 100% sure who the guy is going to be there. We need consistency. Last year there were some games where these guys were real good and then there were some games where they were not real good. You got to see that consistency.

Obviously, you don't replace a hitter like Tyler Townsend (Orioles) with his 24 home runs and 77 RBI last season and same thing with Ryan Mollica (Mets). So how do you think you'll make up for the production lost from those 2 guys?

TT: You really lost some good players there. The entire team has to take Tyler's place to equal out what he did for us. Ryan Mollica is that kind of player too. You want consistency. Ryan was Mr. Consistency.

You guys had the best turnaround in the 37-year history of FIU baseball last season by winning 14 more games than you did in 2008. How can you keep up that progress and build on it this season?

TT: A lot of it has to do with how well the starting pitchers do. If we can get 6 good innings each game, then we get to our bullpen. Our starters have the capabilities to pitch 6 good innings each time out. It's a matter of consistency. If we have a lot of inconsistency then you're talking about a .500 ballclub.

What does your projected starting lineup look like?

TT: This is a projected lineup with an emphasis on projected, because things can change during the season. Junior Arrojo (left, thanks AJH photo) is one of our better defenders and will be our shortstop and will probably bat leadoff. Pablo Bermudez is in center and will probably bat second. Mike Martinez will bat third and play right. I think Tim Jobe will be our cleanup batter and play first. Rudy Flores looks like our fifth batter and DH, but he can also play first and Tim can DH.

We'll probably have our left fielder batting sixth and that's kind of between 4 players right now: Michael Vargas, Jabari Henry, Yoandy Barroso and T.J. Shantz. Nobody there has really stepped up nor has anybody stepped down there either. Each of them can do good things and it will be a matter of who's swinging the hot bat. Our 7th and 8th batters could flip flop in the lineup. Hitting seventh and playing third base will be either Jeremy Patton or Garrett Wittels. Jeremy's like a Ryan Mollica-type of hitter. Good line drive type hitter. Garrett's been hitting the ball well this spring and he can also play second base or shortstop if we need him there. Raiko Alfonso is our second baseman and he'll bat either seventh or eighth. Raiko had a good fall and hit well for us last season. Our ninth batter will be our catcher which could either be Jose Behar or Sean Reilly and we also probably play Doug Joyce. We could play 2 or 3 catchers.

Of course, you would like to get off to a fast start against Maryland this weekend, but what else would you like to see from your team in these first 3 games?

TT: It's going to be interesting to see how things play out this first weekend. We want to see how some of these guys perform when there is another team with a different uniform out there. I really like to see how some of the young guys perform. Guys like a Jabari Henry, Alberto Cardenas and T.J. Shantz.

PANTHER PAWSE

Will have a LIVE BASKETBALL BLOG of FIU/Florida Atlantic when the Hooters from Del Boca Vista Phase 2 visit the Bank for game two of the Pat Riley Classic this season. Will be on-line at 7:54 p.m. Tip-off is at 8 p.m.

Log on to the GPP the next night, Feb. 19 at 6:56 p.m. for a LIVE BASEBALL BLOG of FIU's season opener against Maryland.

 

Note to FIU fans when the Hooters visit on Thursday night -- Stay classy. Don't go acting like the baseball team across town did ("--uck Turtle Thomas, let's kill these guys") when they visited FIU for their first game against the Panthers and Turtle Thomas back in April 2008.

 

And don't act like the Hooters fans did on Jan. 30 when FIU played over there in Del Boca Vista Phase 2 Arena.

 

Just in case you were wondering, looking at Hooters coach Mike Jarvis's bio -- nowhere does it state that he was a physical therapist, occupational therapist, family therapist, marriage therapist or animal therapist -- so don't go calling MJ a therapist when he takes the court at the Bank on Thursday.

 

 

 

 

3 Days Til Opening Night

A few more intrasquad tidbits to pass along as the Panthers prepare for their baseball season opener against Maryland on Friday at 7 p.m. at FIU.

Here are some highlights from 3 innings of a recent intrasquad game.

1st Inning

Junior right-hander Daniel DeSimone started and after Lammar Guy led off with a bunt single, DD picked him off at first.

Outside of another single, this one by freshman All-American Mike Martinez to right field, DD escaped his first inning of work unscathed.

The bottom of the first brought the first look at new pitcher/3B Dillon Vitale, a freshman from Punta Gorda. DV made one mistake in his inning when Pablo Bermudez's smooth swing on an outside pitch ended up in the preserve for a solo shot. Bermudez (right, thanks Alex J. Hernandez photo) is part of that emerging Miami Springs to FIU pipeline.

DV walked freshman slugging 1B Rudy Flores, but got new RF Yoandy Barroso to fly out to right to end the inning.

2nd Inning

DeSimone came out for a second inning of work and got touched up for a run by a couple of newcomers.

Catcher Jose Behar, a Miami Dade College transfer, who apparently knows how to hit, fell behind 0-2 in the count. So Behar (left) shortened his stroke and slapped a single up the middle into center. The nice piece of hitting got a "good AB" from coach Turtle Thomas coaching at 3B.

Heralded freshman Jabari Henry, who has a similar smooth swing to Bermudez, went opposite field for a single which moved Behar to 3B.

DD got Michael Vargas to bounce into a DP scoring Behar. Vitale, who also hit, flied out to center to end the inning.

The bottom of the 2nd brought to the mound walk-on senior right-hander Jose Velazquez.

Velazquez, a sidearmer, tried out for the team last fall and made the squad.

Sophomore catcher Doug Joyce singled to right to lead off the inning. I'm noticing a lot of players are catching on to Turtle's preaching of taking an outside pitch to the opposite field. Instead of trying to pull it and hitting a weak grounder to shortstop.

Velazquez got himself into a jam by hitting catcher Sean Reilly with a pitch and walking Raiko Alfonso to load the bases.

But maybe this is why the FIU coaches brought Velazquez back after the tryout. The righty struck out Flores, who by the way looks like a guy who can hit 20 HRs. In fact, with his natural opposite field stroke, Flores reminds a little of Tyler Townsend.

Barroso then grounded out to 3B to end the inning with no runs across. Garrett Wittels, who will play infield and be one of FIU's closers out of the pen, made a nice play on a short hop of Barroso's grounder.

3rd Inning

Eric Berkowitz (right, thanks AJH photo) pitched the top of the 3rd inning and allowed 0 runs after a leadoff single.

Guy reached on an infield single in the 5.5 hole that shortstop Junior Arrojo had no play on. But Guy got caught stealing by Joyce.

EB's inning ended when Arrojo made a nice play on a tough hop off the bat of Martinez.

Andre Vazquez took the mound in the bottom of the third inning.

Bermudez continued his good work at the plate lining an opposite field single to right. He would come around to score when the left-handed hitting Flores laced a single to the opposite field in left center.

Vazquez would get out of the inning allowing just one run.

PANTHER PAWSE

Will have a Happy Blog Hour 2-for-1 special in LIVE BLOGS this week. Log on to the GPP on Thursday, Feb. 18 at 7:54 p.m. for a LIVE BASKETBALL BLOG of FIU/Hooters basketball when the Hooters from Del Boca Vista Phase 2 visit the Bank for game two of the Pat Riley Classic this season.

Then log on to the GPP the next night, Feb. 19 at 6:56 p.m. for a LIVE BASEBALL BLOG of FIU's season opener against Maryland.

Nothing to that report of Ken Dorsey coming to coach at FIU. If he does come to FIU it won't be for a  coaching position.

Q&A

SouthPaw: Hey, Pete, can you give us any updates on who FIU is offering preferred walk-on status for Spring camp?

PP: Will know more when we get closer to spring practice. The walk-on program has produced some pretty good players. With last year, defensive lineman Andrew Mattox (Osceola Defensive Player of the Year) and before that O'Darris D'Haiti among the more productive walk-ons.

Most of you -- like Ricky Bobby's dad (Reese Bobby) -- believe "if you ain't first, you're last". So most of you believe FIU will finish 1st in the Sun Belt this season with 63% of you voting the Panthers in 1st place on the last poll question.

FIU starts its 54-game regular season schedule on Friday. Vote and tell us how many games the Panthers will win this season?

Online Surveys & Market Research

Ponce Can Recruit; More Baseball

TAMPA -- Apparently, FIU baseball brings out a much more spirited debate than some people thought. The 2010 season is just 6 days away when the Panthers open next Friday, Feb. 19 against Maryland at University Park Stadium.

Went out to another intrasquad game the other day and this time caught four innings. Since FIU baseball brings out such passion in some of our readers, there will be a comprehensive FIU baseball blog on the next post. And you can look for the Herald's FIU baseball preview in next Thursday's paper.

But for now will let you catch your breath from the last post whether you were talking baseball or talking about which school has the better apple pie in their food court.

Yours truly is in Tampa for the weekend working a soccer tournament, but here's a little mix of FIU sports stuff going on in case you missed it.

Three members of the FIU football coaching staff are among some of the candidates being considered for the open running backs coaching job. Among them are special teams coach Apollo Wright, who coached Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook at Villanova. Grad assistant Dennis Smith and director of football ops Juan Navarro.

Congratulations to FIU receivers coach Frank Ponce (above left making a "W" sign for Willis Wright, thanks to Alex J. Hernandez photo) who was named by ESPN as the top recruiter in the Sun Belt for securing ManChild to join the Panthers. Former FIU OC James Coley, now the OC at Florida State, was named the ACC's top recruiter. Click on this link: Top College Football Recruiters  for more info and notice that it looks like ESPN used a mug shot of Coley wearing an FIU coach's shirt.

HOOPING IT UP

A pretty inaccurate article in the new times about FIU hoops. Hey, we're in America and you can express whatever opinion you want, but when you use facts (i.e.: actual numbers and actual people that said certain things -- "Isiah Thompson") at least get those right in a story.

PG responded to the article on Friday and here is a short story that is expected to run in the Herald at some point:

   FIU athletic director Pete Garcia fired back at a recent New Times article on FIU basketball.

   Garcia noted several inaccuracies about the story which chronicles Golden Panthers coach Isiah Thomas’s first season and the program’s ticket sales.

   Among some of the misinformation from the article that has Garcia perturbed is FIU basketball’s average attendance numbers.

   Garcia is also upset about the article’s writer misidentifying FIU President Mark Rosenberg as the person to wrongfully introduce Thomas at the coach’s hiring news conference.

   Former FIU provost Ronald Berkman, now the president at Cleveland State University, introduced Thomas as “Isiah Thompson” at the April 15, 2009 news conference.

   Rosenberg was not working at FIU at the time. Since the Times article was published Wednesday, the error was corrected to Berkman mis-introducing Thomas.

   “This is a classic example of irresponsible and sloppy journalism from someone who uses inaccurate numbers and inaccurately quotes President Rosenberg with introducing Isiah Thomas at his hiring press conference which he never did,” Garcia said. “This is the end result and it’s unfortunate, because the quality of journalism in South Florida is among the best in the nation and this one story won’t ruin the good journalism that takes place in South Florida on a daily basis.”

   The Times article states “. . . the basketball team has averaged a paltry 120 attendees per home game this season. The arena seats 6,000.”

   U.S. Century Bank Arena, which seats 5,000, has averaged 1,163 fans per FIU basketball game this season, according to figures FIU ticket operations manager Jeremy Lamb provided the Miami Herald.

   Lamb added it’s an increase from the 2008-09 FIU basketball season’s average attendance of 487 fans per game. Lamb said FIU has also sold 46 of 50 courtside seats added to the arena this season.

   The Panthers are 7-20 this season, but Thomas has signed the No. 17 2010 recruiting class in the nation.

 

WARMING UP IN THE BULLPEN

 

Catch your breath yet about FIU baseball? Apple pie? (Cracker Barrel has a pretty good one). Ok, then.

 

FIU was picked to finish third in the Sun Belt by the conference's coaches on Friday. Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky were picked ahead of the Panthers. But don't take the SBC coaches word for it, you decide in our poll question below.

 

FIU first baseman Tim Jobe (left, thanks AJH photo and for Zeke photo above, right) was selected to the preseason All-Sun Belt team. Jobe was a member of the 2009 All-Sun Belt team.

 

Several publications and websites are picking FIU baseball to finish near the top of the conference, but I think you have to wait and see how the Panthers starting rotation and bullpen shake out.

 

FIU is going to miss projected No. 2 starter Logan Dodds (academically ineligible). Dodds -- like Scott Rembisz 2 years ago -- was the Florida JUCO Pitcher of the Year last season at Miami Dade College. R.J. Fondon, Corey Polizzano and Daniel DeSimone are going to have to step up.

 

A bigger concern could be the Panthers bullpen. It could be a closer-by-committee until someone nails down the job. Among the candidates are freshman Alberto Cardenas, last season's part-time closer Jorge Marban and third baseman/pitcher Garrett Wittels.

 

Eric Berkowitz (a.k.a "Harry Potter" as his teammates call him, because of the Potter-like glasses he wears) is likely moving to middle relief where he had some pretty good outings last season.

 

PANTHER PAWSE

 

Will have a Happy Blog Hour 2-for-1 special in LIVE BLOGS  next week. Log on to the GPP on Thursday, Feb. 18 at 7:54 p.m. for a LIVE BASKETBALL BLOG of FIU/Hooters basketball when the Hooters from Del Boca Vista Phase 2 visit the Bank for game two of the Pat Riley Classic this season.

 

Then log on to the GPP the next night, Feb. 19 at 6:56 p.m. for a LIVE BLOG BASEBALL of FIU's season opener against Maryland from the House that Mike Lowell Built. Yes, I know she is one of the FIU Witches.

 

Q&A

 

Gooch7: Pete: Who will the closer be? Any input about him?

 

PP: Hope the two paragraphs above at the end of the baseball section of this post answers your question.

 

Yandro: Pete, thanks for the update. Do we know who the starters will be come Opening Night, or are positions still up in the air with a week left?

 

PP: Competition still going on at several positions. Will have TT come on here next week and give you an update straight from the head coach's mouth.

 

Wes Kendall: Hey Pete, I've heard rumors that Rosenberg is rebranding FIU, which might again lead to another logo change/color change. Have you heard anything?

 

PP: Nothing to it. The university changed their logo to block letters not too long ago and the athletic program went to block letters with a more fierce Panther just 2 years ago.

 

 

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L.A. Story

One rumor circulating through the worldwide web has the Los Angeles Clippers contacting Isiah Thomas to be their coach, general manager and president. That from foxsports.

But ESPN has contacted two senior executives from the Clippers who have denied the foxsports report saying: "I can't deny it more strongly," one of the executives said. "We haven't called him and we're not planning on calling him." The other executive called the story "ridiculous" and "irresponsible."

I placed calls to Isiah and PG tonight and both have not returned those calls. However, we should have a clearer picture on Saturday, because FIU hosts North Texas.

Will have A LIVE HOOPS BLOG during the game tommorrow. Tip-off is expected to be about 2:30 p.m. -- 30 minutes after the women's game. LIVE BLOGGING starts at 1:56 p.m.

Whether this rumor about IT has any legs to it we'll soon find out. But get used to coaching rumors with IT, because right now FIU is not in a po$$$$ition to compete with pro teams and more established college programs when those teams come calling for FIU coaches. FIU does not have enough boo$ter$ or enough alumni invested in the athletic program yet to compete with more established colleges.

Maryland was interested in Turtle last season and although the Terps could offer more money, the Terps baseball facilities and the location of the school to lure top baseball talent are not as good as what FIU has to offer -- FIU does not have a trailer for the baseball coach's office and baseball is played year round down here with no snow to worry about.

In this case, if the Clippers rumor has any truth to it, you have to believe it is NOT about money for IT, but rather a chance to get back in the NBA. So, if that's the case IT will have to decide if he wants to go back to the NBA or continue building an NCAA basketball program that could be like a Memphis one day -- without the John Calipari-NCAA violations (good for Bobby Knight).

Although, any of the other 29 NBA teams are better to work for than the Clippers, because they have the cheapest owner in pro sports in Donald Sterling. Try getting marquee free agents to sign with the Clippers -- Sterling won't pay for them. Sterling has been the main reason the Clippers have been the laughingstock of the NBA forever. He's like the Marlins owner -- at least until Major League Baseball came out and ordered the Marlins to spend money on players.  

PANTHER PAWSE

LIVE HOOPS BLOG starts at 1:56 p.m. on Saturday for FIU/North Texas game.

Q&A

Alonzo: Pete, Is Man-Child Wright academically eligible?

PP: Yes, he is.

Mike: Pete please evaluate our spring 2-man depth chart. When you Look back at our 3 last recruiting classes how are they shaping up? 1. how many Spring 2010 starters came from each class, from walk-ons, and from transfers? 2. how many Spring 2010 players on the 2-man depth chart came from each class, from walk-ons, and from transfers?

PP: Will have an updated football roster soon. Your idea sounds like a good blog post. Will get to it in the downtime we have until baseball season and spring football start.

Miri: Pete, we recorded the Early Show yesterday morning on the DVR, and we did not see the Dazzlers at all. We recorded this morning's show also just in case they showed up. What happened to them?

PP: CBS did not want the Dazzlers wearing their uniforms, but other outfits and the squad passed on the show.

 

FIU Recruiting Prowl: Defensive Backs

Playing in a conference where the majority of teams employ the spread offense, this position (including safeties) might be one of the more valuable positions during recruiting season for Sun Belt teams.

So to no surprise your Panthers are recruiting some athletic, quick players for the secondary. Among the five commits, three of them make up the All-Miami-Dade County high school secondary.

Before we roam the secondary with your Panthers, your OFFICIAL NATIONAL SIGNING DAY COUNTDOWN stands at: 12 DAYS

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Like most of the FIU defense last season, the play of the DBs was spotty whether it was due to injuries or just not tight enough coverage the Panthers DBs have to improve their play in 2010.

When you look at the DBs it all starts with senior-to-be Anthony Gaitor (left, thanks Alex J. Hernandez photo), who was limited all last season with a nagging ankle injury. Gaitor is the anchor of the secondary and if he's healthy you can expect big things out of him in his final season in the blue and gold.

Outside of Dez Johnson, who is expected to receive a medical redshirt for last season, Gaitor will be the only senior DB.

Johnson would be expected to nail down the corner job opposite Gaitor, but he will have plenty of competition come spring practice and into fall camp.

Sophomores Derreck Jones and Emmanuel Souarin came on toward the end of last season and could have something to say about their playing time this coming season.

UCF transfer Corey Ammons was a highly-touted DB coming out of the same high school as FIU safety Terrance Taylor. Ammons could be one of the favorites to win a starting job come the season opener against a Sun Belt opponent still to be determined.

Jarrell McGee (right, thanks AJH photo) was a heralded DB at North Dakota College, but was slowed by injury last season. He is expected to figure into some playing time.

One darkhorse candidate to see increased snaps this coming season might be Jose Cheseborough. The walk-on from Edward Waters opened some eyes while working with the scout team D last season and made some plays in the scout bowl last month.

All the returning DBs will be pressed by a very talented trio of FIU recruits. (From left to right in the photos) Northwestern's Khambrel McGee, Killian's Richard Leonard and LaSalle's Sam Miller were among the top DBs in South Florida high school football this past season and could have an immediate impact at FIU in about 7 months when fall camp starts.

 

 

SAFETIES

The safety positions will also be interesting to watch come spring practice. The Panthers bring back sophomore Jonathan Cyprien (right), who finished second on the team in tackles and had a solid freshman season.

Ash Parker is a senior this season after sustaining his second season-ending injury in as many years at Alabama last September. AP's experience and ability can definitely help what will be a very young secondary.

Kreg Brown is also back and Chuck Grace should be ready to go after missing time last season with injury.

Taylor showed flashes of his talent last season while redshirting and will challenge for a starting spot this season. Cain Elliott also redshirted last season and his 6-2 frame is made to play safety.

Miami Springs' Randy Williams and Boca Raton's Justin Halley are two safeties commited to FIU. Both have good size with Williams at 6-1 and Halley at 6-2.

BACK IN 2010: Kreg Brown, Jose Cheseborough, Jonathan Cyprien, Cain Elliott, Anthony Gaitor, Chuck Grace, Dez Johnson, Derreck Jones, Jarrell McGee, Ash Parker, Emmanuel Souarin, Terrance Taylor.

GONE IN 2010: O'Darris D'Haiti, Peter Riley, Jeremiah Weatherspoon.

$.03 IN 2010: As much as the FIU D-line, the Panthers secondary will help determine how much this defense can improve. One area that the secondary certainly has to improve on from last season is their tackling. There were a lot of arm tackles last season that opponents easily broke. You have to like the athleticism of this group. The incoming DBs might be the best recruit group for an FIU defensive backfield in the 8-year history of the program. There will be size and speed in the FIU defensive backfield in 2010.

Take to the polls in our 2 DB/Safety questions below the Pawse

Next up on the FIU Recruiting Prowl: Offensive line.

PANTHER PAWSE

Will have a LIVE HOOPS BLOG  of the FIU/UALR game on Saturday night from the Bank. Blogging at 7:56 p.m. Tip-off is at 8 p.m.

Q&A

blkpanther: The FIU forward commit you were asking me about during the LIVE HOOPS BLOG on Thursday night is 6- 10 power forward Yvan Ngirabakunzi (right), who is currently a junior at Piney Woods High in Mississippi. Yvan is ranked as the No. 40 power forward in the nation for 2011.

Gooch7: PETE: Any Babeball news before the season kicks off?

PP: Golden Dazzlers news is always on the GPP. Like the new outfits they displayed during halftime of Thursday's basketball game. The ladies wore colorful short dresses during their halftime performance. On the left (thanks AJH photo), is their outfits for halftime of the Shula Bowl last month.

As far as FIU baseball, I'll be visiting the Panthers practices as soon as we get through National Signing Day. You can expect some FIU baseball blogs on here after Feb. 3.

Crazy Cane: Expect a rough season. Turtle has only really had 1 full year to recruit. The players are young. Give it time. UM is scared to play FIU. If only some of the signees would have come to campus rather than go to MLB. etc. etc. etc. Pete, aside from that, anything else?

PP: The season will depend on how the No. 2 & 3 spots in the starting rotation develop among Logan Dodds, R.J. Fondon and Corey Polizzano. FIU also has to field better this season. Expect FIU to score some runs and hit well. 

Turtle guided FIU to the largest win improvement from one season to another last season in the 37-year history of the FIU baseball program. The Panthers will field a team of 7 freshmen, 13 sophomores, 6 juniors and 6 seniors this season. So more than half of the team is comprised of underclassmen.

The team across town still does not want to play FIU in any of the 3 major sports -- although evenutally they won't be able to avoid FIU in an NCAA baseball regional. We'll have to wait and see on the two No. 1-rated players from the U.S. (Manny Machado) and Canada (Kellin Deglan) that signed with FIU. Will have more for you CC when I get to the FIU diamond next month.

Jorge Suarez: Pete, we're waiting for that interview with the new OC. Do you have a timeline on it yet? Do you expect any JUCOs to sign this year? Early signing period passed and we didn't get anyone in here. Feed the hungry pete! Thank you

PP: Will have new OC Scott Satterfield on here soon. No timeline, but hopefully after this coming week. This coming week is a little hectic with the Herald's recruiting series starting. I am down to write stories on FIU (Monday), Florida Atlantic (Tuesday) and Central Florida and South Florida (Wednesday) -- don't ask me why FAU, UCF and USF. They're paying me for it. FIU is recruiting some JUCOs. Will have some more info on that when it happens. You will be fed.

 

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