* Post game wasn’t much better for Florida State after that embarrassing 59-20 loss to Oregon in the national semi-finals on New Year’s Day. ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit criticized the many Seminoles who didn’t deign to even shake hands after the game.
But what drew much more attention was the conduct of at least three Oregon players who chanted “No means no” to the cadence of FSU’s war chant while doing the tomahawk chop. Ouch.
They were consequently criticized for the mockery–obviously aimed at FSU’s Jameis Winston, who’s been accused of rape. Oregon coach Mark Helfrich said action will be taken internally over his players’ “inappropriate behavior.”
To the University of Oregon and the players involved: That was a classless, cheap shot.
To Florida State and everybody involved: Deal with it. Somebody has to.
*And in an ironic postscript, a new state law, commonly referred to as the “yes means yes” standard for sex between college students, took effect that day in California. In other words, silence or a lack of resistance can no longer be deemed consent.
* While I rarely watch an entire Outback Bowl game, I always try to look in to see how this area is playing on those network establishing and cut-away shots of beaches and waterfront skylines. Inevitably, it’s a feeling of pride and, yes, some schadenfreudean satisfaction that I’m one of those who have relocated from the Northeast polar vortex.
There’s also the bottom-line realization that priceless national publicity is part of the economic impact for hosting a major New Year’s Day bowl game. And how about a shout-out to Visit Tampa Bay for the impressive debut of its 30-second commercial highlighting Tampa’s active lifestyle–from Falcon’s Fury at Busch Gardens and paddleboarding along the Hillsborough River to Ybor City night life and movie-watching at Tampa Theatre.