My Final Words On Jimbo Fisher: Men Do What They Have To Do, Boys Do What They Want To Do

In my head I have been working on this post since Friday, December 1, 2017 at 1:29 p.m. Like most things I want to remember, or not as the case may be, I screenshotted the banners on my phone as they announced Jimbo Fisher to Texas A&M. I am not going to lie. I cried in the car as I drove down the road (READ: I WAS A MESS). We had ONE coach for 35 years (Bobby). Then Jimbo for 8 seasons. We don't change coaches like we change underwear. This wasn't supposed to be our fate as Seminole fans. We don't worry season after season if our coach will remain (although we have the last few years). We became numb to the repeated off season banter about Jimbo Fisher being courted by team so-and-so. We had been lulled to sleep with his "I will not comment about coaching jobs". We had a false sense of security because he had turned down so many other opportunities. But some how this year was different, as I read articles and listened to pod casts about in fighting between coaches, coaches leaving away games separately from the team. And after Jimbo was long gone we hear reports (fake or not) that he hadn't recruited in months. And probably the most disconcerting was text message after text message coming into my phone throughout November, my friends (mostly non-FSU fans) telling me about how they hear Jimbo is gone for sure after the season is over.  And yet, here we are in this place. Maybe I should say in this place where my Dad texts me to ask if I am still all in with FSU. Does the sun come up in the east everyday? Does a bear go potty in the woods? Nothing has changed besides who is the head coach. My loyalty and enthusiasm is still where it should be residing. I'm still that girl in 1992 with a FSU shirt (2 years before a National Championship).

After listening to the post game press conference with Coach Haggins and a few of the players, I decided it was time to say my peace.  And as I flipped open my laptop and log onto this site, I realize the last blog post I had made was a post in July 2016 about a YouTube video with all of these locker room speeches Jimbo had made to the team at one point or another. All those notable quotes laid out on my blog. As I read them, I kept wondering, were they really meant when they were spoken? I mean, was any of the Jimbo Fisher era real? Was the sentiment behind it real? "It got personal" Oh, you think? "You make the helmet, the helmet doesn't make you." I don't know if that's really true in this case. And I can quote you 75 million reasons why that might not be true. "That is not fair, MDK." Oh yeah it is. You know why it is fair? Because I'm pretty sure none of us really truly know why he left. There's been rumors: PERSONAL REASONS HAVING NOTHING TO DO WITH FOOTBALL (which cover a MYRIAD of reasons), he wanted this or that and the administration would not give it to him, the fans were too hard on him (*insert eye roll* He has not seen anything yet in regards to fans. A&M like to death threat their coaches when they don't win enough. See Kevin Sumlin's wife, Also see Tammy From Auburn), With all Due Respect, Monk Bonasorte (RIP) was the buffer between Jimbo and the administration, AD and Boosters and now their was no one to adequately fill that roll, he became frustrated and left (okaaay), and he wanted to be back in the SEC (*Insert Eye Roll*).

Ultimately, none of the reasons matter, nor will they change the outcome. I can say for a certainty that I have no desire to see Jimbo Fisher on the opposite sideline vs. FSU. Ever. I wish him well. I am grateful for everything he did for FSU. But watching him build his team, interact with A&M fans and give interviews is like watching your newly departed boyfriend court a new girl. It is awkward. And for someone who cried in the car, it is just too painful. I have taken steps to reduce the amount of A&M news in my feed. I wish him well, but I just can't watch.

Even now, I can't even fully describe his leaving without getting choked up. That's ridiculous right? Probably I just don't like changes. And once things get rolling, (the bowl game was a great 1st step today) I will feel better about this situation. Maybe.

I leave with more questions than answers. Especially after reading my previous blog. I will leave you with one final thought, if men do what they have to do and boys do what they want to do, which are you Jimbo, a man or a boy?

MDK In The House

We Must Protect This House

My Favorite Jimbo Fisher Quotes

In honor of Jimbo Fisher's "Car Wash Day" at ESPN (where the coaches interview at all the different ESPN Shows). I decided to dust off this list of Jimbo Fisher quotes I've been holding on to for some time. (Incidentally, Jimbo is one of the only coaches in the NCAA who DOESN'T have a Twitter account)

What's so exciting about Jimbo Fisher quotes?! Are you kidding?! The man is pure gold. One day I happened upon a 14 minute YouTube video of Jimbo Fisher giving pre game and half time speeches. So I made note of some of my favorite:

-Big rock in the road. You don't go around it. You don't hope it will move. YOU remove it.

-Emotion and wanting to win are important but execution is critical.

-You have to TAKE everything you get. No one will give you anything.

-Love is the reason for the fight.

-Everything is about us. How we play, what we do, how we think, how we feel. From the first play to the last play. The reckoning.

-Love is the reason you play. The people you love and your teammates. When it is all said and done. That's what you remember.

-2 guys in the ring. One guy wins.

-This country ain't seen Florida State Football. They about to tonight.

-The game don't care who wins it. You determine what happen

-It ain't about the show, it's about the go.

-You make the helmet. The helmet doesn't make you.

-The play don't care who makes it.

-Show me a guy without expectation and I'll show you a guy that hasn't achieved anything and doesn't expect anything from himself.

-It got personal.

-It's our house. It's our stadium. We are Florida State.

And more recently, Jimbo was speaking to kids at his football camp and said this:

-Men do what they have to do. Boys do what they want to do.

These quotes aren't earth shattering. But they are thought provoking and have fueled a large amount of success at Florida State and at the next level, the NFL.

MDK In The House

Jack Del Rio...SHHHHHHH!!!!

I have a past with Jack Del Rio. I know. It's hard to believe. I've waited a long time to share my story. It was around 2006. It was a Tuesday. I was on my way to work. I had left my home early to go to work at my brother's office. At that time I worked there one day per week. His office is a good distance from my home and in a complete different direction than my other office. I wanted a Starbucks and since there wasn't one near his office, I stopped at one by my home on my way. I got my Starbucks and was pulling out of the parking lot. From behind a Range Rover, haphazardly I might add, comes Jack Del Rio and his kids like ducks in a row. I slammed on brakes, stopped,I rolled my eyes and looked. I realized it was Jack Del Rio. I was embarrassed but he truly wasn't WATCHING WHERE HE WAS GOING.
Here is an article that I read on nfl.com. Some of the things he says are pretty funny and dumb from a Jaguars fan's perspective. Let's have a little looksy:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82935a51/article/jack-del-rio-wants-broncos-to-have-a-top-10-defense?utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=twitterfeed

"We've established high expectations"- LOL. Jags fans have heard that one a few times.
" And that's one of the things I think we can do with the strength of our pass rushers."-That's right because you don't know what a good pass rusher is Jack. You couldn't find one with a flashlight in phone booth in the daylight. If the Broncos are smart they will have the previous year's pass rushers and won't depend on you to pick a few. He was MISERABLE at it in Jacksonville.
"Defensively we've gotta be able to get people stopped and not let them just run it down the field and control the clock."- LOL. Jack get some new lines dude. Everyone has heard that before. The only thing saving you from being laughed at because of that remark is because NO ONE was listening to you the last year at Jacksonville. Jack sucked at time clock control. SUCKED. If you don't believe me, I can't help you. Maybe Youtube can or perhaps Google. But Denver, watch out. Don't let him too far off the leash. Definitely don't wait 8 yrs to fire him.

Not watching where he was going is a pretty common thing for Jack. His reputation for running things in Jacksonville was kept on the DL (down low) for so long until he was fired.  You ask, like what? It couldn't be that bad?! How about letting players show up to practice anytime they wanted and not fining them. Don't y'all know where fines go? To the charities. So fine them who cares? How about having favorites? That definitely builds a team atmosphere (insert eye roll). How about drinking beers with his buddies while everybody else was watching film and doing game prep? How about playing golf at Glen Kernan or Timuquana on the Friday before a game when he should've been getting ready? I know. You can make all sorts of excuses. He was blowing off steam. He needed a break. Vince Lombardi never acted like that. Every moment before a game was spent strategizing. The story goes that after a game, there would be a cocktail party. You could see Lombardi in the 8mm footage. He was joking and laughing. Then he would stop. Look around. And he would disappear to his war room in his home to start preparation for the next week. The man couldn't enjoy himself and he was very successful. Jack could take a few notes from Coach Lombardi. Maybe if he had, he wouldn't have left a mess in Jacksonville.

MDK in the House

We must protect this house.