Florida State dominated Boston College on the hardwood, 62-47.  Granted, it was against an undermanned Eagles squad, but this was the best defensive performance since FSU trounced Alabama A&M.  Andrew Carter has some good thoughts. 

People are making too big of a deal about off-season surgeries and injuries.  As everyone knows by now, RsSoph QB E.J. Manuelhad arthroscopic (non-invasive) surgery to clean up his shoulder.  Shoulder surgery is no joke, but the degree and type of surgery does matter.  Manuel had a clean-out.  He did not have a torn rotator cuff or labrum.  Doctors evaluated Manuel before the season and determined that he could play with the debris in hi shoulder without causing additional damage.  FSU fans are certainly glad that he elected to wait to have the procedure until after the season! 

He will be able to throw by June, which means he will be able to do all the off-season 7-on-7 activities.  Frank has the full story with quotes from the surgeon and Coach Jimbo Fisher.  While it is unfortunate that Manuel will miss his second consecutive Spring practice (missed 2009 Spring w/ finger issue), this amounts to little more than worrying about the backup quarterback.  FSU still has three scholarship quarterbacks who will go in Spring. 

As for the other injuries, they are entirely normal.  Fans tend to worry too much in the off-season.  That's mostly a product of them having tunnel vision.  Most FSU fans don't follow other teams.  If they did, they would realize that every team has a lot of guys undergo surgery in the off-season.  It's par for the course.  Junior Right Tackle Zebrie Sandershad a hip procedure done and will miss Spring ball.  A few believe that 4th year double-redshirt sophomore Antwane Greenlee was going to beat him out for the position anyhow, but those people are majorly misinformed and have no basis for their opinion.  Sanders is a very good right tackle and a member of one of the best offensive lines in the country.  In a lesser publicized story, backup lineman Rhonne Sandersonhad some work done in early January to one of his legs.  These things happen.  FSU fans have been conditioned to react to eveyr bit of news as if it is a disaster.  That is now unnecessary.  FSU's football team is now being run by an organized, hungry, competent group.  Assuming the worst is no longer a reasonable position to hold. 

To put these off-season procedures in perspective, let's step back to 2009.  FSU had three starting offensive linemen go under the knife!  Left Tackle Andrew Datko had arm surgery.  Doctors cut on Right Guard David Spurlock.  Center Ryan McMahon had a procedure on his ankle/ lower leg.  Big guys get surgery.  It happens really often.  Trickett's mentor Alex Gibbs addressed this in a clinic talk, saying something to the effect of 

"almost all my guys get an off-season procedure.  I don't want players who get hurt.  I want tough players.  Not saying I will play a guy who is legitimately hurt, but I don't want guys who stay hurt.  My guys get their work done in the off-season."

There will be more guys getting off-season procedures done.  Students see guys around campus in slings and on crutches.  Sometimes it can be difficult to find out what work they had done.  Ira Schoffel should have more on this soon and has a good blog touching on the topic. 

I don't like that Senior backup Guard Brandon Davis left the team, but the move is very understandable.  Davis graduates this Spring with his degree and is a 5th year senior.  5th year guys usually leave the team if they aren't going to contribute.  The new off-season program is very intense and it is not something most people want to go through if they are not going to be able to play.  While Davis played well in spot-duty for FSU this season, and could have provided quality depth, the writing might have been on the wall for him getting bumped to 3rd string.  We wish him well in the work force and are proud to call him a Seminole.  He worked very hard, never caused trouble (never even a peep of trouble that went unreported), played well when called upon, and graduated.  Thanks, Brandon.

Inside you'll find the quick hitters, including a really nice interview with Coach Fisher. 

Interview with Coach Fisher:

How much potential does this defense have?
I think this is a great group. I think some people are going to be shocked at the young guys that are going to play on the front line, linebacker, and in the secondary. I think they are going to do a great job. We signed some good guys in the two classes before this one and I think there is a chance they will be pretty good.

On having coached under Bobby Bowden and Nick Saban -
Two different guys. When I coached under Coach Bowden he delegated more things. As far as his impact, now I got him later in his career. I am sure his impact was much more in his earlier days. Old school isn't the term but more like you did it years ago. Coach Saban is more hands on and delegates a lot things but always has everything answered back to him, making sure everything is done the way he wants it. Coach Saban was way more hands on in all facets of the program.

The Florida Gators continue to lead the country in football arrests since Urban Meyer arrived, the 27th of the Urban Meyer Era.  Big Bend native Gary Brown allegedly hit a girl with his hand as she attempted to remove people from a party.  At this time it is unknown whether he intended to hit her.  Priceless Picture, courtesy EDSBS.com & LSUFreek.  At least one Gator beat writer is already speculating that Brown, one of the best DT recruits in the 2009 class, will be kicked off the team:

The arrest does not bode well for Brown, a native of Quincy, outside Tallahassee. Heralded as a five-star prospect by the major recruiting services and considered the No. 2 defensive tackle in the nation in 2009, Brown disappointed Gator coaches last fall with a subpar work ethic and did not play a single snap during the season.

Not only does Brown find himself buried at the bottom of the depth chart, but the Gators also just signed three of the best defensive tackles in the nation for 2010 - five-star prospects Sharrif Floyd and Dominique Easley and four-star prospect Leon Orr.

Additionally, the Gators are scheduled to have 87 players under scholarship for 2010, two over the 85-scholarship limit. Florida will have to get rid of two scholarship players before the fall, and Brown may have just volunteered to be one.

The Gators have had problems with their defensive tackles the past two years. Former five-star prospect Torrey Davis, who made a crucial fourth-down stop in the 2009 BCS Championship Game, left the program after several incidents with his driving record and academics. And John Brown, another former five-star defensive tackle, left the program last year because of academic issues.

Wonder if his mom will lose the job she coincidentally got at Shands when he signed? 

Fisher deals with Miami grad Dan LeBetard pretty well on 790 The Ticket (go to on-demand and scroll down). 

Make sure to check out all the fanposts (at right).  Great stuff over there.