Bowden and guns

As Bobby Bowden's annual tour of booster clubs winds down, he took some time on Friday to hit on a few subjects in the news, such as players and guns; Preston Parker is facing a felony charge for carrying a concealed, loaded 45-caliber handgun in his car:
   "I hate to say this, there’s some neighborhoods, you better have a gun. I hate to say that. Our country has gotten that drastic, but there’s some neighborhoods where you nearly have to have a gun just to protect yourself and your family.''
   Bowden added that if he banned guns, he'd have to start with himself.
   "I've got one.''
   For more from his stop in Pinellas County on Friday, check out Saturday's St. Petersburg Times.

Bowden in town

   Bobby Bowden makes his stop in Pinellas County on Friday as part of his popular annual booster club tour. At last check, the banquet at the Crescent Oaks Country Club was a near sellout and the golf tournament, at the same club, was also filling up nicely. As an extra bonus, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach/head-coach-in-waiting Jimbo Fisher will be at the dinner (the social begins at 5:30 p.m.). For more information, go to PinellasNoles.com

Posey/Bench Award semifinalist

   Junior star Buster Posey is a semifinalist for the Johnny Bench Award as the nation's top collegiate catcher. Posey, the guy who played all nine positions in a seven-inning win against Savannah State earlier this week, leads the Seminoles in hitting (.469), runs (72), doubles (20), homers (16) and RBI (66). Three finalists will be selected June 3 and the winner announced on June 27 at the 11th annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet and receive the award from Bench. The 11 other semifinalists are:

Softball reunion

For freshman catcher Allison Collins, Thursday's trip to Alabama for the NCAA tournament is also a family reunion. Her sister Kayla, a former Seminole, transferred to Jacksonville State, FSU's opening round opponent.

Chris Rix coaching

   Former quarterback Chris Rix has joined the coaching ranks.
   The Los Angeles Times reported earlier this week that Rix will work with the QBs at Bishop Amat, the high school he attended for three years before transferring to Santa Margarita for his senior year. Check out the paper's blog report that includes pictures of him working with a couple of the QBs there.

Thornton recognized

   Al Thornton, who averaged 12.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists for the Los Angeles Clippers, was named to the 2007-08 NBA All-Rookie first team.
   The voting was done by the 30 league head coaches. Each picked five players for the first team and five for a second team but none could vote for his own player. Thornton received 20 first-team votes and 8 second-team votes for 48 points. He joined former Gator rival, Atlanta's Al Horford (the lone unanimous selection with 29 first place), Seattle's Kevin Durant, Houston's Luis Scola and Seattle's Jeff King.
   For the full release, here's the link:   

Vizzini honored

Former longtime video coordinator Billy Vizzini, who died last Oct. 29 after a battle with cancer, was named the recipient of the 2007-08 Bob Matey National Video Coordinator of the Year. His mother Yolanda, father Bill, stepmother Ann and FSU video department members Craig Campanozzi and Michael Bracken accepted the award during the Collegiate Sports Video Association's annual convention last weekend.

XLee and TE

  Former quarterback Xavier Lee, undrafted after deciding to bolt early, is getting a shot with the Baltimore Ravens ... at tight end.
   That's the spot FSU coaches suggested Lee try at the end of his turbulent junior season, an offer he declined, 'cause, you know, he's a quarterback.
   "Xavier has a chance to be a quarterback, but you look at that body, he can play a lot of things,'' coach John Harbaugh told the Baltimore Sun on Sunday. "We just want to look at him and see what we've got. Plus, we need help at tight end.''
   Injuries forced the Ravens to look at Lee as well as second-year linebacker Edgar Jones. Harbaugh wnet on to elaborate to baltimoreravens.com that "They were right at Florida State (about Lee). He could be a heck of a tight end.''
   For his part, Lee told the Sun of the position change that "It felt natural. If I work hard at it, it will be all right.''
   

ACC and a 9th game?

   ACC officials are discussing the pros and cons of adding a ninth league game, sacrificing one of four non-conference games from the 12-game schedule.
   According to ESPN.com, FSU coach Bobby Bowden isn't a fan of a change.
   "I think it makes your scheduling tougher and it might keep you from being more competitive on a national scale,'' he said, referring to a league game being more of a hurdle than a Division I-AA opponent at home poses for a team trying to reach the Bowl Championship Series finale.
   Read more here:

ESPN.com's Top 25

   ESPN.com still isn't giving much love to FSU.
   With the completion of spring ball, the website has revised its preseason Top 25 football clubs and FSU is not there. Ohio State is No. 1, followed by Georgia, Oklahoma, Southern California and the Florida Gators.
   As for the ACC, welll Clemson is No. 7, Virginia Tech is No. 20 and Wake Forest is No. 22. The Seminoles have all three of those teams at home this season.
   Here's the link: