The 2009 recruiting class is only two years removed from signing on the dotted line, but I would like to give it a midterm grade. Scout rated this class as *18. Two giant black marks occurred before anyone even hit the field when Mizzell and Downs failed to make the grade. Those two were arguably the cream of this class. I'm not sure if the rankings reflect this or not, but for the purposes of this post. I will ignore them.

I love baseball analogies, so I will rank the class thusly:

GRANDSLAM - XR27  turning a 3* WR into an NFL corner = clear all the bases

HRs - GR5 ; gamechanger with swagger - LONNIE; tailback unselfishly playing FB and doing all the little things right.

JENKINS - still a little small, but gets to the QB in a hurry

TRIPLES - THOMPSON- came through when we needed him;  D-HOP ;all those touchbacks and a game winner

McDANIEL; had to come in and play like a GAM when he wasn't yet and filled position of dire need

DOUBLES- SMITH, HAULSTEAD & McALLISTER; I think these three have all-conference potential

SINGLES - STORK, HICKS and ORLEUS;  add quality depth at positions of need

FCs - SECORD, BRIGHT, DEMPS; haven't found their niche and probably won't

STRIKEOUT- HARLEY; great measurables that didn't translate to the field; PRIOR; tough grade, but he's gone and not contributing

Yes it is too early to assign a final grade on these kids (besides SO's). But I think Jimbo and Co. have to evaluate in the here and now, so why shouldn't we? Overall, I think this is an amazing class given its size and youth. This class was during Bobby's tenure, but seems to have Jimbo's fingerprints all over it. Only real complaint I would have is signing Downs and Mizzell if you knew they wouldn't qualify (given limited numbers)

With some of the wailing and keening going on amongst fellow TN members, I was afraid the sun might not be coming up this morning. Lo and behold, here it comes, rising yet again! People all bundled up this morning because it's so "cold". Perspective. Yes it is cold in O-town this morning, but after spending the last decade plus in buckeyeland I have a better perspective. I don't have to shovel snow, I don't have to scrape ice off my windshield, I don't have to worry if my car will start, I don't have to cover every square inch of my body for fear of  frostbite and I can actually see the sun because it"s not covered up by gray clouds!

Perspective! Was there ANYONE on this site six weeks ago who thought we would be sitting where we are today? No way!  Just humbled by the Gaytors, coaching situation up in the air, 37th rated recruiting class.... It is nothing short of amazing the strides the program has made since. Whether Matt becomes a Nole or not, WE ARE ON A ROLE! It's exciting to be a Nole again. But keeping that perspective... Classes start today for many of you. For the rest of us, the holidays are over. Gotta take down the decorations, smile at the boss and make sure we cover the mortgage again this month (assuming you still have a house). Keep football in its proper place. Yes it is fun as can be, but it really is just a game (I kid you not). It will be a looonngg eight months before the next kickoff. Pace yourself. I have full trust and faith in Jimbo after what he has accomplished in these few short weeks. Go to class, Go to work, Take out the trash (just make sure you are head to toe, in and out, garnet and gold, NOLE PROUD). Happy days are here again!!!

The first college football game I ever attended was the 1977 Tangerine Bowl. I was 16 and fell in love with Bobby Bowden and the Florida State Seminoles (WallyJim Jordham was awfully cute!). For decades, I really thought it was BB and not FSU that held my heart ( I was actually going to use Bowden as my firstborn son's middle name- God was looking out for me as He thankfully sent me four girls). Years of being taken for granted has made me see the light. The bulb switched totally on the afternoon of the USF game. I'd paid a premium price for 40 yard line seats and ended up sitting next to Bulls fans. The tool sitting next to me said something like"isn't it time to dump Bobby" and I, in my best bobbyhaze, replied that " there would never be another Bobby Bowden and he could stay as long as he wanted". Mind you the BYU thriller had convinced me yet again that "we had turned the corner".  Three hours of broiling like a tatertot in Doak made me change my mind. It was ME who had gotten up at 4:00 AM; it was ME who had driven 5 hrs; it was ME who put on warpaint, stood up, made noise when I was supposed to, warwhooped myself hoarse, it was ME who pounded beer after beer to try and erase the truth of what a sorry state FSU football had become. There may be no "I" in team, but there is a ME. Bobby didn't build the stadium, or the program. He may have tended it and expanded it (quite successfully), but he didn't build it. It was Me that built it. ME and all the other MEs. The MEs who came before , who came after, and those who sat  next to ME (sorry, I've always considered my whoop a gift from god). I am Florida State and Florida State is ME. I found this site the Sunday after that game. I'm certain I have very little in common with any of you (you seem to be overweight, undersexed men- you dish it, you gotta be able to take it-  just my luck one of you will end up being George Clooney). What we do have in common more than makes up for what we don't. Bobby isn't Florida State. WE ARE FLORIDA STATE and she needs our undivided support on our continued journey.