Shocked and Awed

I’ll break it down if I can.

I am shocked.

Not by our players, or play callers, not even by the media. I’m shocked by our fan base. We live in negativity-ville. We don’t support the players with any amount of consistency. And WE are the next big thing that needs to be corrected for this football team to go to the next level.

I don’t think the negativity is a problem. I do think that the pathetic performance of our fans is. We aren’t loud, and the Doak is not intimidating. I sat in the Alumni section for the first time in a while (usually will be in the box or with my undergrad friends), and it was depressingly quiet. What is wrong with people? When we are on defense, stand the F*&^ up and make some damn noise.

We are watching a team that has played more freshmen than anyone in the country go 6-1 in what is a tougher conference most would like you to believe. They fall behind against a well-coached and well-prepared team, and the stands just turned completely silent. What a joke! Our team plays better on the road these days, why, because there is SO much pressure to perform at home. At least on the road these kids can let it all hang out and hope for the best. After VaTech took the early lead it looked like I was watching a nervous child fumble around trying to impress his Dad…a Dad who is never impressed and always wants more.

Let’s make sure not to fall into the trap of believing coachspeak. We aren’t that young of a team. The whole “played more true freshmen” argument doesn’t hold water compared to the “underclassmen starters” statistic, in which we are older than UF and Miami. +1 and +1 for the Acc is better argument and the our fans suck argument.

This team is getting better with every snap. (there will be some bumps along the way.) The team is fighting, growing, learning, responding with character, and becoming a very good football team. Which is more than I can say for a fan base who is sitting, griping, mis-reading some of the teams growing pains as false hope being shattered, and only getting loud and proud after a group of first year starters takes to the field and just keeps proving the whole world wrong.

I don’t think that’s a shot at this site. I hope it’s not. Either way, I don’t care. I will continue to talk about what I see on the field: the good AND bad.

We are NOT on the way to becoming a VERY good team this year. It won’t happen. We are improving, for sure.
Again, we’re not that young overall.

Expecting it yesterday

I’m not saying this is a national title contender. It has yet to be seen wheather we are even an ACC title contender. What I am saying is we have good play calling, great talent at skill positions. Good depth most everywhere, and youth with potential where there is not. Quit expecting them to jump off the highschool cheese wagon and into the college lime light to play like redshirt juniors.

I don’t think anyone here is expecting that. I wrote the Kool-aid debate to ward that off. I didn’t rank FSU in the top 20. Most readers here are pretty realistic. People who want to hear “Noles are great” don’t read Tomahawk Nation, because I won’t lie to them.
Good evaluation of the personnel, though.

More easily rattled than a first year starter

Here’s the thing. Wheather its on the road or infront of what is quickly becoming a “play my song or I’ll go home” crowd, these kids find a way to get it done. They may come up short in some future games, but the effort, intensity, and learning curv is nothing short of phenominal considering their age and and the newness of our offensive staff. My take is that the fan base is more easily rattled than our first year starter offense. What a bunch of pansies.

Bingo. The crowd has completely sucked. If GTech beats us, the tribal council will be in complete meltdown mode.

I actually got a text from a friend when we fell behind late that said “we are going to lose!” I promptly replied that it isn’t over till the fat hokie sings and then sent him a goble goble when easterling made his circus catch.

If this was before the Glennon injury, I’d agree with your friend. We were outplayed until he went out.

Unsatisfied with real results and ongoing progress.

It is going to take some time. But, we seem unsatisfied with the fact that a VERY YOUNG offense has put points on the board in tough games even when they haven’t played very good football. Progress is there. Results are there. Yes the long-term expectations should be high, but lets be realistic about where we are now. No one is asking anyone to pretend that we are wolrd beater, or to not long for that day to return, but for heaven’s sake pat these kids on the back and get loud regardless of the score – THEY’VE EARNED IT!

Yes, we need to be loud. FSU has some of the worst fans in America. There is no excuse for 40 year-old fans to refuse to stand and cheer. It’s pathetic.

You shouldn’t call out Seminole “fans” based on the actions of a few thousand people at Doak on Saturday. What about all of the fans across the nation that can’t travel to the games, that pack bars at Seminole “clubs” in many cities, or alumni gathering at each other’s houses to party and support their team. I get where you are coming from and what you are trying to say, but after reading the first few paragraphs of your post, I felt cheated as if my cheer, pride, and commitment to this program didn’t matter because I wasn’t in a seat in Tallahassee cheering my a$$ off.

I have been to many Noles’ gatherings across the country since my graduation in 2005 and regardless of the score, I have hardly been around fellow alum that weren’t as excited as I was every snap of the game. And when I did encounter people that seemed to “lose interest and faith” in our team, I was quick to stand up in their face and remind them what association with this program meant. That to be a true Nole you must stand tall through thick and thin, good times and bad, blowouts and embarrassments. I was quick to remind them that you either bleed Garnet & Gold 24/7/365 or you turn in your Seminole card and jump on the bandwagon with whatever team is atop the rankings that year. If I was close enough to drive to Tally every weekend for home games, I definitely would, and I would stir up a ruckus attempting to bring some life into the non-student sections.

All in all, if you are 25+ years of age and attending a game in Tallahassee, you should be loud, proud, and excited to be there no matter what the score is. Home games shouldn’t be considered entertainment. They should resemble some of your life’s greatest days, true showings of pride, and arm-hair-raising moments every time the ball is snapped. But don’t for once think that because a bunch of old seat dwellers representing stoic statues at Doak represents any more than a hair of the Noles around the globe. Noles that bleed Garnet & Gold every Saturday no matter where they are, who they are with, or what the score is.

Go Noles!

1. No shots at this site!!! (hands in the air surrendering)

2. I can’t comment on fans I don’t know see or hear at Doak on Saturdays, so you’re right fans are great….and the ones closer to tally need to get some tickets and act the part.

3. This team isn’t as bad or as good as people on both sides of the argument. But they ARE a good football teams, becaue good football teams hit you in the mouth, are mentally tough, and find a way to win.

What they AREN’T is a great football team.

I dont think we are a great football team but I do think we are a good one. I dont think we should be ranked so high but we are and we ahould take advantage of it. As for the fans, what happened to the fan base from the 90s I was a kid then and I feared going to Talla as a fan. It was so loud and proud. Its just not the same. People only want to be a fan when there team is on top. I live in Columbia SC and I never get to go to any ball games but I call into the local FSN radio station and try to talk about FSU when I can. They dont care to much but I always bash the fans of the gamecocks because how the leave the games early or they are just not loud enough. People down there should be happy FSU is were they are and need to get fired up. If the team sees the fans fired up then the team will do better for them also not just there familys and the team. Im not the best fan in the world and I think FSU is better than they are. I still beleave we can beat anyone anywhere. Is that a true statment. NO. The truth is there are a lot of teams we just cant beat at this moment. Im not going to stop beleaveing and watching. If Org St can knock off USC then My NOLES can do anything. If Ol miss can beat UF then so can we. We have the talent to play and win any game. What would happen if we had a few sold out games and the crowd was loud as all hell. I be the team would be better and you might see better plays, stronger D and bigger win marg. Im not say we are not proud but someone needs to get the fans fired up. Someone needs to get the players fired up.

I bought tickets to the ACC title game after that win. If they don’t go I assume I can scalp them. Depending on who is playing in the title game. It kind of helps I dont have to make travel arrangements since I live in Tampa.

Its just discouraging when people like us are standing up and screaming our lungs out and screaming for everyone to get up and make some noise and people look at you like your crazy. This is college football. A crowd is, as many programs around the nation like to call it, “The 12th Man”. We are an essential part of the game. It’s our job to make the atmosphere completely intimidating. As much as I despise UF I will give them credit in that their crowd shows up fired up every week like theyre playing the BCS Championship. No matter who they play theyre up and theyre loud. Thats why the swamp is such a tough place to play. We need to get Doak loud. Sitting down on defense is unnaceptable. Were not watching the NFL. If your not gonna show up ready to do your part dont buy tickets to the game. Watch it from home. Youll have a better view because I’ll be standing up regardless if your sitting right behind me.

Okay got the rant out and if i had the chance to give this lecture in front of a packed Doak Campbell Stadium, I would.

Great Post Truecolors.

I remeber watching games on TV and hearing the chant almost all game long. now I might here it 1 or 2 times and its so faint. I wish I could here it one good time. It also pissed me off when in the WF game the WF fans doing it to mock us. But thats part of the game.