sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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- Aug 15, 2011
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Welcome to Umbrella Day!
Today celebrates the umbrella, an instrument that protects people from the sun and rain. The term more associated with the sunshade umbrella is the parasol. Umbrellas were used in ancient Greece, Rome, Egypt, India, and the Middle East, as early as the fourth century BCE. The first recorded collapsible umbrella dates to 21 CE in China. The canopies of ancient umbrellas were built with different materials than those that are used today, being made of feathers, leaves, and leather; however, their shape was reminiscent of today's umbrellas.
In ancient times, the parasol umbrella was mainly used by women, although men of royalty, clergy, and dignitaries often used them as well. Rain umbrellas and parasol umbrellas seem to have arrived in Europe in the 1600s, and by some accounts, in the late 1500s; it is believed they came from China. Rain umbrellas from the 1600s were woven out of silk, giving them limited water resistance compared to today's umbrellas. In the late 1600s, rain umbrellas were still considered something only distinguished women would use, not men. The first lightweight folding umbrella of Europe was introduced in 1710, and in 1759 an umbrella combined with a cane was introduced in France, which became wildly popular in Paris; by pushing a button on the side of the cane it could be opened. Yet, while umbrellas became popular in France, in the early 1700s they were still uncommon in England, not coming into acceptance until the late 1700s. By the late 1700s, umbrellas became an accessory of both men and women in Europe.
SU News
Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Syracuse football: Matthew Bergeron, Sean Tucker and Garrett Williams invited to NFL Scouting Combine (TNIAAM; De Guzman)
Even with the Super Bowl coming up this weekend, there’s still plenty of buzz surrounding this season’s NFL Draft. That rings especially true with the Syracuse Orange as Central New Yorkers are expecting a couple Orange players to go in the early rounds of the draft. That reality got another promising boost as Matthew Bergeron, Sean Tucker and Garrett Williams were invited to this season’s NFL Scouting Combine.
Bergeron and Tucker are also the first Orange offensive players to be invited to the combine since Trishton Jackson in 2020. Plenty of eyes will be on Bergeron, especially after an impressive showing at the Senior Bowl which has seen him rise up mock drafts.
...
Don McPherson "The 315" 2-9-23 (ESPN; radio; The 315)
Former Syracuse quarterback and College Football Hall of Famer Don McPherson joins Brian Higgins to discuss the significance of two black quarterbacks meeting in the Super Bowl for the first time in NFL history, to speak on how much the game has evolved since his playing days, and more.
Film Study: Syracuse Transfer Ja'Had Carter Brings Needed Experience and Versatility to the Ohio State Safety Room (elevenwarriors.com; Jones)
Last week, Ohio State officially wrapped up its 2023 high school recruiting class, ranking fifth nationally.
The class was headlined by a trio of talented receivers in Brandon Innis, Noah Rogers, and Carnell Tate, who will fill Brian Hartline's receiver room with an even greater bounty of talent. On the other side of the ball, cornerback Jermaine Matthews of Cincinnati appears to be the player most likely to contribute in his first year out of high school, having already enrolled after being named the top recruit in the state and 51st nationally.
But although Matthews will have his chance to earn playing time opposite Denzel Burke this fall, he's not the most impactful addition to the Buckeye secondary this offseason.
Just a few days following the Buckeyes' last-second loss to Georgia in the CFP semifinal, Ja'Had Carter committed to the program as a transfer after playing three seasons at Syracuse. While the Orange were not known to be one of the nation's elite defenses, they quietly improved from the 112th-ranked unit in 2020 to 18th in 2021 before finishing 21st this past season, earning coordinator Tony White the same job on new Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule's staff.
Throughout that time, the safety played a major role in White's 3-3-5 system, lining up all over the field in a unique scheme that shared quite a bit in common with the one Jim Knowles installed in Columbus one year ago. Much like Knowles has emphasized the importance of the three safeties in his system, the Orange put quite a bit on Carter's plate in their own three-safety lineup, and the Virginia native responded by making 138 tackles (3.5 for loss) along with five interceptions and 12 passes broken up while in upstate New York.
...
Former Syracuse assistant coach Jeff Stoutland
Roob's Observations: When Stoutland and McNabb were both at Syracuse (nbcsports.com; Frank)
Two Eagles all-timers who worked together a quarter of a century ago, a mystical performance by LeGarrette Blount and a Super Bowl moment that gave Nick Sirianni chills.T
It’s Friday, which means the Super Bowl is only two days away and also means it’s Day 6 of Roob’s Daily Eagles Random Super Bowl Observations.
1. Donovan McNabb and Jeff Stoutland both made indelible marks on the Eagles’ organization, McNabb as the winningest quarterback in franchise history and Stoutland as the greatest position coach in franchise history. But for two years in the 1990s, they were together at Syracuse, Stoutland as offensive line coach and McNabb as an impressive dual-threat QB who led the Orangemen to a 35-14 record.
“Donovan was one of the most competitive people that I’ve ever been around,” Stoutland said Wednesday. “You might know Donovan as a jokester, but that was his way of kind of keeping it loose with the guys and everybody. But when it was time to go to team period, when it was time to go 7-on-7, I’ve never seen a guy as competitive as him. And I always remembered that. I was like, look at this guy, he wanted to win every single rep.”
To this day, Stoutland has a photo of McNabb scoring on a 51-yard TD run against Miami during a 66-13 win at the Carrier Dome in November of 1988.
2. Patrick Mahomes has started 93 games and has had a passer rating over 100 in more than 60 percent of them (56 of 93). Nobody in NFL history has had more games with a 100 rating in their first five seasons.
...
Pro Football Hall of Fame class announced; Syracuse great Dwight Freeney passed over (PS; AP)
Six-time All-Pro offensive lineman Joe Thomas and lockdown cornerback Darrelle Revis got voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on their first try.
Thomas and Revis join a new class of Hall of Famers announced Thursday that also includes return finalists DeMarcus Ware, Zach Thomas and Ronde Barber. Senior candidates Joe Klecko, Chuck Howley and Ken Riley, along with coaching candidate Don Coryell also got voted into the Hall and will be inducted in Canton, Ohio, this summer.
Syracuse University great Dwight Freeney was one of the 15 finalists, but was not selected. Freeney ― who will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame this year ― played 16 years in the NFL, most with the Indianapolis Colts. This was Freeney’s first year of eligibility.
The headliners of the class are Joe Thomas and Revis — the two first-round picks from the 2007 draft who took far different journeys to this ultimate honor.
Revis bounced around teams seeking his best opportunities to win and thrive financially, while Thomas never moved.
Picked third in the draft by Cleveland, Thomas stepped in as an immediate starter and never moved until a torn triceps ended his final season in 2017.
Thomas played 10,363 consecutive snaps before that injury as one of the only dependable parts on one of the NFL’s sorriest franchises.
...
https://westvirginia./news/2024-ol-michael-mcmonigle-calls-syracuse-a-favorite- (r1va;s.com; $; Kang)
2024 offensive lineman Michael McMonigle picked up his first Power 5 offer from Syracuse during his Junior Day visit, and let the moment soak in."Getting the Cuse offer was an amazing moment," McMo...
ACC News
Florida State predicted to be college football's 'breakout team' in 2023 by ESPN analyst - Saturday Road (saturdayroad.com; Davis)
Florida State made a lot of progress in 2022, but the Noles could be gearing up for an even greater jump this upcoming season.
ESPN’s Tom VanHaaren has identified Florida State as the nation’s top potential “breakout” team in 2023. VanHaaren wrote that FSU’s combination of returning players and incoming transfers should make 2023 an even better year in Tallahassee.
Here’s his full analysis:
Florida State went 10-3 in 2022, clinching its 1st double-digit win season since 2016. The Noles also swept their rivalry matchups vs. Miami and Florida.
...
This 2022 rendering by OSPORTS shows what USF's athletics district might look like with the addition of an on-campus stadium. [ Courtesy of USF ]
USF seeking $22 million for next phase of on-campus football stadium (tampabay.com; Baker)
USF is close to its next major step on its quest to build an on-campus football stadium: approving a contract with the design-build team.
The board of trustees’ finance committee is scheduled to hear an update on the issue at its Tuesday morning meeting. After that, the full board of trustees could vote to approve up to $22 million for the design phase during its regularly scheduled March 7 meeting.
Committee documents provide some new insight into the project, which would be built north of the current practice facilities. The Bulls are seeking $14.8 million for preconstruction and design services and $3.9 million for more planning services by USF. There’s also $850,000 in financing costs and $2.3 million for “owner contingency for design services.” The total price tag is comparable to what the design/build team of Populous and Barton Malow proposed last year, according to documents the Tampa Bay Times obtained in September.
RELATED: How much will USF’s on-campus football stadium cost? Here’s a glimpse.
“This initial design phase will result in the preparation and completion of the plans for the stadium and will include multiple opportunities for the USF community to provide input on the design of the stadium,” the agenda item said. “The final plans will reflect USF’s unique needs and specifications, the plans will align with USF’s financial plan for the project, and USF will own the plans.”
...
College football recruiting: 247Sports analysts deliver final thoughts on each 2023 class in ACC (247sports.com; Backus)
The 2023 recruiting classes are mostly in the books. With both signing periods passed, there are only a few top recruits without homes. That means the recruiting class rankings in the ACC are solidified.
During the February signing period, 247Sports director of recruiting Steve Wiltfong and director of scouting Andrew Ivins delivered their thoughts on each ACC program's 2023 signing class. The conference did well as a whole, as it had three programs finish in the top 20 of the 247Sports Team Composite rankings and four in the top 30.
Miami broke Clemson's hold on the conference's top spot, as Mario Cristobal did good work in his first full year. The Tigers were not too far behind, though.
Here is what Wiltfong and Ivins had to say about each ACC program's 2023 signing class:
Syracuse made a bowl for the first time in three years and prioritized some players that could make an instant impact on the recruiting trail — one on each side of the ball.
“They went out and got a couple JUCO guys that can help right away,” Wiltfong said. “The No. 2 interior offensive lineman J’onre Reed and then the No. 2 JUCO linebacker Lonnie Rice who made a lot of plays behind the line of scrimmage.”
Virginia’s 64th-ranked class may not look too impressive on paper, but Wiltfong is much higher on it than most.
“Well this class, when you do a deep dive on it, it’s much better than the ranking,” Wiltfong said. “Kam Robinson’s the jewel. A four-star linebacker that South Carolina and Florida State tried to flip late, he sticks. He’s an all-state linebacker, an all-state receiver, an all-state punter from Essex (Va.) High. Anthony Britton, a 6-foot-5, 270-pound defensive lineman had 28 sacks for Lake Taylor. He’s going to be a problem in the ACC.”
...
OT: SEC News 2023 Feb 10 (RX; HM)
OT: SEC News 2023 Feb 10
First, some breaking news:
__________
Also, revenue numbers are beginning to come out...
Virginia Tech mailbag: Can Hokies win championships again? What about Tahj Bullock at QB? (theathletic.com; $; Bitter)
It’s a Virginia Tech mailbag so big we had to split it into two parts. If you missed Part I, go read it here. Now for more of your Hokies questions:
As Virginia Tech fans, what should our expectations realistically be once our “rebuild” is complete? Should we be content with being an annual contender in the ACC? Is it unrealistic for us to think that we could periodically make a serious run at the national championship? — Christian B.
The goal should be to compete for and win an ACC title, plain and simple.
That’s well within Virginia Tech’s reach, both historically (four championships in seven years from 2004-10) and hierarchically (shoot, Pitt won the league two years ago). The Hokies’ resources aren’t the best, but they’re better than half the ACC. Same goes for their facilities. There’s enough talent in Virginia, if Tech can keep it at home, to be highly competitive using a local approach. I wouldn’t say Virginia Tech is at the top of the NIL market, but it’s not poor on that front either.
...
The ACC's top recruiter | College Football Recruiting Show (cbssports.com; video; CFRS)
247Sports' Steve Wiltfong explains why Clemson's Nick Eason is the best recruiter in the ACC
College football’s best coordinator combos, and more Ferentz failures: College Football Survivor Show (PS; $; podcast; Lesmerises)
On this episode of The College Football Survivor Show, Doug Lesmerises and Shehan Jeyarajah each pick their five top combinations of offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator in major college football.
That includes teams contending for national titles, and some teams a tier down who happen to have two top guys running their offense and defense.
Part of that discussion? Alabama’s Nick Saban hiring Tommy Rees and Kevin Steele as the two new coordinators for the Crimson Tide this week.
Also part of that discussion? The failures at Iowa where athletic director Gary Barta and head coach Kirk Ferentz are letting overmatched offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz stick around with an odd change to his contract.
Thanks for listening to this free episode of The College Football Survivor Show. Starting next week, both episodes of the show will be free each week, so get ready to double your dose of Doug and Shehah. Previously, one episode had been a paid, bonus episode.
Don’t miss an episode of the College Football Survivor Show every week. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.
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Former Clemson DC headed to SEC school (udatoday.com; Angalet)
A former Clemson coordinator is reportedly taking his coaching talents to the SEC. Defensive coordinator Kevin Steele has agreed to return to Alabama under head coach Nick Saban as the Crimson Tide’s next defensive coordinator, according to ESPN’s Chris Low.
Steele, who spent three seasons with the Tigers (2009-11), is set to become Alabama’s newest defensive coordinator after the departure of Pete Golding, who left back in January to become the next defensive coordinator at Ole Miss.
Prior to the news, Steele spent the 2022 season with the Miami Hurricanes on head coach Mario Cristobal’s staff before the news of his return to Alabama broke on Sunday.
Over the course of his 39-year coaching career, Steele has spent portions of his career at Clemson, LSU, Tennessee and Auburn as well as three separate stints at Alabama. In Steele’s tenure at Clemson, the Tigers were a combined 25-16 overall and 16-8 in ACC play.
...
Top 25 wRs for 2023 (Preseason) (RX; HM)
LOL. Oronde Gadsen is better than 15 of these guys...
Top 25 WRs for 2023 (Preseason)
Just a quick post. Want to know why Ohio State's offense has been so good and Clemson has struggled? Look no further than this list:
That's it, folks. Nobody from Clemson, Miami, or Pitt.
Meanwhile, Ohio State has three (the Big Ten has four total, unless you include the two for USC - but they don't actually begin Big Ten play until 2024).
...
The Influence Factor by The Influencer Marketing Factory (player.fm; podcast)
Alessandro Bogliari, CEO and Co-Founder of The Influencer Marketing Factory, a global influencer marketing agency, talks with great guests about influencer marketing, social media, the creator economy, social commerce and much more.
Other
Blues legend Buddy Guy will headline the 2023 NYS Blues Fest at the State Fairgrounds. AEG
An 86-year-old guitar legend will headline the 2023 New York State Blues Fest (PS; Cazentre)
Legendary Chicago blues player Buddy Guy will headline the 2023 New York State Blues Festival at the State Fairgrounds this summer.
Guy will be just a month short of his 87th birthday when he takes the Chevy Court stage on the final night of the fest, which will run Thursday June 15, Friday June 16 and Saturday June 17 this year.
The Syracuse performance is part of Guy’s Damn Right Farewell Tour, which gets underway later this month.
“We are very excited to have blues legend Buddy Guy headline this year’s festival for many reasons,” fest director Eric McElveen said in announcing the lineup today. “Not only will he bring great attention to the event but his legacy of cultivating the culture of blues music with younger generations is very much in line with the mission of our organization.”
Guitarist Samantha Fish will open for Guy on June 17 at the New York fest, which is celebrating its 31st year in 2023. Other top acts booked for this year’s fest include guitar duo Blood Brothers, featuring Mike Zito & Albert Castiglia on June 15 and Memphis blues-soul group Southern Avenue on June 16.
The fest also features several local and regional blues performers.
Guy is an 8-time Grammy Award winner,most recently for his 2019 solo album, “The Blues is Alive and Well.” Rolling Stone Magazine ranked him #23 in its “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.” Born in Louisiana in 1930, Guy started his career in Baton Rouge, before moving north where he helped establish and popularize the Chicago blues style.
He has played in and around Central New York many times, including as a headliner at the 2007 NYS Blues Fest when it was still held in Clinton Square downtown. Other recent appearances include a 2017 show a del Lago Casino & Resort in Seneca County and a 2009 performance at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Oneida County.
...
Today celebrates the umbrella, an instrument that protects people from the sun and rain. The term more associated with the sunshade umbrella is the parasol. Umbrellas were used in ancient Greece, Rome, Egypt, India, and the Middle East, as early as the fourth century BCE. The first recorded collapsible umbrella dates to 21 CE in China. The canopies of ancient umbrellas were built with different materials than those that are used today, being made of feathers, leaves, and leather; however, their shape was reminiscent of today's umbrellas.
In ancient times, the parasol umbrella was mainly used by women, although men of royalty, clergy, and dignitaries often used them as well. Rain umbrellas and parasol umbrellas seem to have arrived in Europe in the 1600s, and by some accounts, in the late 1500s; it is believed they came from China. Rain umbrellas from the 1600s were woven out of silk, giving them limited water resistance compared to today's umbrellas. In the late 1600s, rain umbrellas were still considered something only distinguished women would use, not men. The first lightweight folding umbrella of Europe was introduced in 1710, and in 1759 an umbrella combined with a cane was introduced in France, which became wildly popular in Paris; by pushing a button on the side of the cane it could be opened. Yet, while umbrellas became popular in France, in the early 1700s they were still uncommon in England, not coming into acceptance until the late 1700s. By the late 1700s, umbrellas became an accessory of both men and women in Europe.
SU News
Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Syracuse football: Matthew Bergeron, Sean Tucker and Garrett Williams invited to NFL Scouting Combine (TNIAAM; De Guzman)
Even with the Super Bowl coming up this weekend, there’s still plenty of buzz surrounding this season’s NFL Draft. That rings especially true with the Syracuse Orange as Central New Yorkers are expecting a couple Orange players to go in the early rounds of the draft. That reality got another promising boost as Matthew Bergeron, Sean Tucker and Garrett Williams were invited to this season’s NFL Scouting Combine.
It’s a return to the combine for Syracuse after the Orange didn’t have any players invited to the 2022 edition. Syracuse last sent the defensive back trio of Andre Cisco, Ifeatu Melifonwu and Trill Williams to Indianapolis in 2021. Cisco led the way of the three invited Orange players then as the 65th and first pick in the third round of the draft to Jacksonville.
Bergeron and Tucker are also the first Orange offensive players to be invited to the combine since Trishton Jackson in 2020. Plenty of eyes will be on Bergeron, especially after an impressive showing at the Senior Bowl which has seen him rise up mock drafts.
...
Don McPherson "The 315" 2-9-23 (ESPN; radio; The 315)
Former Syracuse quarterback and College Football Hall of Famer Don McPherson joins Brian Higgins to discuss the significance of two black quarterbacks meeting in the Super Bowl for the first time in NFL history, to speak on how much the game has evolved since his playing days, and more.
Film Study: Syracuse Transfer Ja'Had Carter Brings Needed Experience and Versatility to the Ohio State Safety Room (elevenwarriors.com; Jones)
Last week, Ohio State officially wrapped up its 2023 high school recruiting class, ranking fifth nationally.
The class was headlined by a trio of talented receivers in Brandon Innis, Noah Rogers, and Carnell Tate, who will fill Brian Hartline's receiver room with an even greater bounty of talent. On the other side of the ball, cornerback Jermaine Matthews of Cincinnati appears to be the player most likely to contribute in his first year out of high school, having already enrolled after being named the top recruit in the state and 51st nationally.
But although Matthews will have his chance to earn playing time opposite Denzel Burke this fall, he's not the most impactful addition to the Buckeye secondary this offseason.
Just a few days following the Buckeyes' last-second loss to Georgia in the CFP semifinal, Ja'Had Carter committed to the program as a transfer after playing three seasons at Syracuse. While the Orange were not known to be one of the nation's elite defenses, they quietly improved from the 112th-ranked unit in 2020 to 18th in 2021 before finishing 21st this past season, earning coordinator Tony White the same job on new Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule's staff.
Throughout that time, the safety played a major role in White's 3-3-5 system, lining up all over the field in a unique scheme that shared quite a bit in common with the one Jim Knowles installed in Columbus one year ago. Much like Knowles has emphasized the importance of the three safeties in his system, the Orange put quite a bit on Carter's plate in their own three-safety lineup, and the Virginia native responded by making 138 tackles (3.5 for loss) along with five interceptions and 12 passes broken up while in upstate New York.
...
Former Syracuse assistant coach Jeff Stoutland
Roob's Observations: When Stoutland and McNabb were both at Syracuse (nbcsports.com; Frank)
Two Eagles all-timers who worked together a quarter of a century ago, a mystical performance by LeGarrette Blount and a Super Bowl moment that gave Nick Sirianni chills.T
It’s Friday, which means the Super Bowl is only two days away and also means it’s Day 6 of Roob’s Daily Eagles Random Super Bowl Observations.
1. Donovan McNabb and Jeff Stoutland both made indelible marks on the Eagles’ organization, McNabb as the winningest quarterback in franchise history and Stoutland as the greatest position coach in franchise history. But for two years in the 1990s, they were together at Syracuse, Stoutland as offensive line coach and McNabb as an impressive dual-threat QB who led the Orangemen to a 35-14 record.
“Donovan was one of the most competitive people that I’ve ever been around,” Stoutland said Wednesday. “You might know Donovan as a jokester, but that was his way of kind of keeping it loose with the guys and everybody. But when it was time to go to team period, when it was time to go 7-on-7, I’ve never seen a guy as competitive as him. And I always remembered that. I was like, look at this guy, he wanted to win every single rep.”
To this day, Stoutland has a photo of McNabb scoring on a 51-yard TD run against Miami during a 66-13 win at the Carrier Dome in November of 1988.
2. Patrick Mahomes has started 93 games and has had a passer rating over 100 in more than 60 percent of them (56 of 93). Nobody in NFL history has had more games with a 100 rating in their first five seasons.
...
Pro Football Hall of Fame class announced; Syracuse great Dwight Freeney passed over (PS; AP)
Six-time All-Pro offensive lineman Joe Thomas and lockdown cornerback Darrelle Revis got voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on their first try.
Thomas and Revis join a new class of Hall of Famers announced Thursday that also includes return finalists DeMarcus Ware, Zach Thomas and Ronde Barber. Senior candidates Joe Klecko, Chuck Howley and Ken Riley, along with coaching candidate Don Coryell also got voted into the Hall and will be inducted in Canton, Ohio, this summer.
Syracuse University great Dwight Freeney was one of the 15 finalists, but was not selected. Freeney ― who will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame this year ― played 16 years in the NFL, most with the Indianapolis Colts. This was Freeney’s first year of eligibility.
The headliners of the class are Joe Thomas and Revis — the two first-round picks from the 2007 draft who took far different journeys to this ultimate honor.
Revis bounced around teams seeking his best opportunities to win and thrive financially, while Thomas never moved.
Picked third in the draft by Cleveland, Thomas stepped in as an immediate starter and never moved until a torn triceps ended his final season in 2017.
Thomas played 10,363 consecutive snaps before that injury as one of the only dependable parts on one of the NFL’s sorriest franchises.
...
https://westvirginia./news/2024-ol-michael-mcmonigle-calls-syracuse-a-favorite- (r1va;s.com; $; Kang)
2024 offensive lineman Michael McMonigle picked up his first Power 5 offer from Syracuse during his Junior Day visit, and let the moment soak in."Getting the Cuse offer was an amazing moment," McMo...
ACC News
Florida State predicted to be college football's 'breakout team' in 2023 by ESPN analyst - Saturday Road (saturdayroad.com; Davis)
Florida State made a lot of progress in 2022, but the Noles could be gearing up for an even greater jump this upcoming season.
ESPN’s Tom VanHaaren has identified Florida State as the nation’s top potential “breakout” team in 2023. VanHaaren wrote that FSU’s combination of returning players and incoming transfers should make 2023 an even better year in Tallahassee.
Here’s his full analysis:
Florida State went 10-3 in 2022, clinching its 1st double-digit win season since 2016. The Noles also swept their rivalry matchups vs. Miami and Florida.
...
This 2022 rendering by OSPORTS shows what USF's athletics district might look like with the addition of an on-campus stadium. [ Courtesy of USF ]
USF seeking $22 million for next phase of on-campus football stadium (tampabay.com; Baker)
USF is close to its next major step on its quest to build an on-campus football stadium: approving a contract with the design-build team.
The board of trustees’ finance committee is scheduled to hear an update on the issue at its Tuesday morning meeting. After that, the full board of trustees could vote to approve up to $22 million for the design phase during its regularly scheduled March 7 meeting.
Committee documents provide some new insight into the project, which would be built north of the current practice facilities. The Bulls are seeking $14.8 million for preconstruction and design services and $3.9 million for more planning services by USF. There’s also $850,000 in financing costs and $2.3 million for “owner contingency for design services.” The total price tag is comparable to what the design/build team of Populous and Barton Malow proposed last year, according to documents the Tampa Bay Times obtained in September.
RELATED: How much will USF’s on-campus football stadium cost? Here’s a glimpse.
“This initial design phase will result in the preparation and completion of the plans for the stadium and will include multiple opportunities for the USF community to provide input on the design of the stadium,” the agenda item said. “The final plans will reflect USF’s unique needs and specifications, the plans will align with USF’s financial plan for the project, and USF will own the plans.”
...
College football recruiting: 247Sports analysts deliver final thoughts on each 2023 class in ACC (247sports.com; Backus)
The 2023 recruiting classes are mostly in the books. With both signing periods passed, there are only a few top recruits without homes. That means the recruiting class rankings in the ACC are solidified.
During the February signing period, 247Sports director of recruiting Steve Wiltfong and director of scouting Andrew Ivins delivered their thoughts on each ACC program's 2023 signing class. The conference did well as a whole, as it had three programs finish in the top 20 of the 247Sports Team Composite rankings and four in the top 30.
Miami broke Clemson's hold on the conference's top spot, as Mario Cristobal did good work in his first full year. The Tigers were not too far behind, though.
Here is what Wiltfong and Ivins had to say about each ACC program's 2023 signing class:
SYRACUSE ORANGE
ACC Recruiting Ranking: 14Syracuse made a bowl for the first time in three years and prioritized some players that could make an instant impact on the recruiting trail — one on each side of the ball.
“They went out and got a couple JUCO guys that can help right away,” Wiltfong said. “The No. 2 interior offensive lineman J’onre Reed and then the No. 2 JUCO linebacker Lonnie Rice who made a lot of plays behind the line of scrimmage.”
VIRGINIA CAVALIERS
ACC Recruiting Ranking: 13Virginia’s 64th-ranked class may not look too impressive on paper, but Wiltfong is much higher on it than most.
“Well this class, when you do a deep dive on it, it’s much better than the ranking,” Wiltfong said. “Kam Robinson’s the jewel. A four-star linebacker that South Carolina and Florida State tried to flip late, he sticks. He’s an all-state linebacker, an all-state receiver, an all-state punter from Essex (Va.) High. Anthony Britton, a 6-foot-5, 270-pound defensive lineman had 28 sacks for Lake Taylor. He’s going to be a problem in the ACC.”
...
OT: SEC News 2023 Feb 10 (RX; HM)
OT: SEC News 2023 Feb 10
First, some breaking news:
So the SEC and B1G both begin playing with 16 teams in 2024... nice symmetry!
__________
Also, revenue numbers are beginning to come out...
...
Virginia Tech mailbag: Can Hokies win championships again? What about Tahj Bullock at QB? (theathletic.com; $; Bitter)
It’s a Virginia Tech mailbag so big we had to split it into two parts. If you missed Part I, go read it here. Now for more of your Hokies questions:
As Virginia Tech fans, what should our expectations realistically be once our “rebuild” is complete? Should we be content with being an annual contender in the ACC? Is it unrealistic for us to think that we could periodically make a serious run at the national championship? — Christian B.
The goal should be to compete for and win an ACC title, plain and simple.
That’s well within Virginia Tech’s reach, both historically (four championships in seven years from 2004-10) and hierarchically (shoot, Pitt won the league two years ago). The Hokies’ resources aren’t the best, but they’re better than half the ACC. Same goes for their facilities. There’s enough talent in Virginia, if Tech can keep it at home, to be highly competitive using a local approach. I wouldn’t say Virginia Tech is at the top of the NIL market, but it’s not poor on that front either.
...
The ACC's top recruiter | College Football Recruiting Show (cbssports.com; video; CFRS)
247Sports' Steve Wiltfong explains why Clemson's Nick Eason is the best recruiter in the ACC
College football’s best coordinator combos, and more Ferentz failures: College Football Survivor Show (PS; $; podcast; Lesmerises)
On this episode of The College Football Survivor Show, Doug Lesmerises and Shehan Jeyarajah each pick their five top combinations of offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator in major college football.
That includes teams contending for national titles, and some teams a tier down who happen to have two top guys running their offense and defense.
Part of that discussion? Alabama’s Nick Saban hiring Tommy Rees and Kevin Steele as the two new coordinators for the Crimson Tide this week.
Also part of that discussion? The failures at Iowa where athletic director Gary Barta and head coach Kirk Ferentz are letting overmatched offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz stick around with an odd change to his contract.
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Former Clemson DC headed to SEC school (udatoday.com; Angalet)
A former Clemson coordinator is reportedly taking his coaching talents to the SEC. Defensive coordinator Kevin Steele has agreed to return to Alabama under head coach Nick Saban as the Crimson Tide’s next defensive coordinator, according to ESPN’s Chris Low.
Steele, who spent three seasons with the Tigers (2009-11), is set to become Alabama’s newest defensive coordinator after the departure of Pete Golding, who left back in January to become the next defensive coordinator at Ole Miss.
Prior to the news, Steele spent the 2022 season with the Miami Hurricanes on head coach Mario Cristobal’s staff before the news of his return to Alabama broke on Sunday.
Over the course of his 39-year coaching career, Steele has spent portions of his career at Clemson, LSU, Tennessee and Auburn as well as three separate stints at Alabama. In Steele’s tenure at Clemson, the Tigers were a combined 25-16 overall and 16-8 in ACC play.
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Top 25 wRs for 2023 (Preseason) (RX; HM)
LOL. Oronde Gadsen is better than 15 of these guys...
Top 25 WRs for 2023 (Preseason)
Just a quick post. Want to know why Ohio State's offense has been so good and Clemson has struggled? Look no further than this list:
ACC WRs in the Top 25 (according to SaturdayGameDay):
That's it, folks. Nobody from Clemson, Miami, or Pitt.
Meanwhile, Ohio State has three (the Big Ten has four total, unless you include the two for USC - but they don't actually begin Big Ten play until 2024).
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The Influence Factor by The Influencer Marketing Factory (player.fm; podcast)
Alessandro Bogliari, CEO and Co-Founder of The Influencer Marketing Factory, a global influencer marketing agency, talks with great guests about influencer marketing, social media, the creator economy, social commerce and much more.
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Blues legend Buddy Guy will headline the 2023 NYS Blues Fest at the State Fairgrounds. AEG
An 86-year-old guitar legend will headline the 2023 New York State Blues Fest (PS; Cazentre)
Legendary Chicago blues player Buddy Guy will headline the 2023 New York State Blues Festival at the State Fairgrounds this summer.
Guy will be just a month short of his 87th birthday when he takes the Chevy Court stage on the final night of the fest, which will run Thursday June 15, Friday June 16 and Saturday June 17 this year.
The Syracuse performance is part of Guy’s Damn Right Farewell Tour, which gets underway later this month.
“We are very excited to have blues legend Buddy Guy headline this year’s festival for many reasons,” fest director Eric McElveen said in announcing the lineup today. “Not only will he bring great attention to the event but his legacy of cultivating the culture of blues music with younger generations is very much in line with the mission of our organization.”
Guitarist Samantha Fish will open for Guy on June 17 at the New York fest, which is celebrating its 31st year in 2023. Other top acts booked for this year’s fest include guitar duo Blood Brothers, featuring Mike Zito & Albert Castiglia on June 15 and Memphis blues-soul group Southern Avenue on June 16.
The fest also features several local and regional blues performers.
Guy is an 8-time Grammy Award winner,most recently for his 2019 solo album, “The Blues is Alive and Well.” Rolling Stone Magazine ranked him #23 in its “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.” Born in Louisiana in 1930, Guy started his career in Baton Rouge, before moving north where he helped establish and popularize the Chicago blues style.
He has played in and around Central New York many times, including as a headliner at the 2007 NYS Blues Fest when it was still held in Clinton Square downtown. Other recent appearances include a 2017 show a del Lago Casino & Resort in Seneca County and a 2009 performance at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Oneida County.
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