It's going to be hard for Mike Norvell and FSU to reconcile this season's poop-tastic start
This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.
Good morning, Winners! Welcome back to the Morning Win. I hope you had a fantastic holiday weekend.
This one goes out to you, Florida State fans. I know these last few weeks — no, actually — these last few months have been a nightmare. But, you know, it gets bett– Nah. Actually. Let me not tell you things I don’t know to be true.
MORE ON MIKE NORVELL: Fans roasted FSU and Norvell after BC loss
The truth is since Jordan Travis went down with his torn ACL last year before the most crucial part of FSU’s season, things have been going downhill. The ugly ACC championship win, the College Football Playoff snub, and now, this. Whatever this is.
It’s not just that Norvell’s Florida State team has lost two games — it’s that they’ve lost two games they really had no business losing. The first one to Georgia Tech was bad, but you could at least reason around it. The game was in Ireland against a Tech team that should actually be pretty solid.
But this Boston College loss? Yo. Come on. It wasn’t even close.
DJ Uiagalelei looks like he doesn’t know this offense. FSU’s defense was supposed to be elite up front, but it’s as soft as Charmin. Boston College and Georgia Tech have rushed for a combined 453 yards in two weeks against this team.
That’s not supposed to happen. A fan literally has to eat poop now because of how egregiously bad this team has been. He has to eat POOP. And everyone knows it, too!
How do you explain that away to the boosters? If it’s one thing unreasonably rich people don’t love, it’s being embarrassed. And this is embarrassing.
That’s why it might be pretty hard for Mike Norvell to come back from this.
Norvell had an incredible year last year that was derailed by the worst injury possible at the worst time possible. But this is college football. That’s not going to buy him any grace.
Look, I’m not saying he gets fired today or tomorrow. He might not even be fired a month from now. But this was supposed to be a top-10 team this season. They’re supposed to have a shot at the CFP playoff. Right now, this team looks like it’d be lucky to make the Pop-Tart Bowl.
That’s unacceptable. And, if it ends up happening, Norvell’s days as FSU’s head coach are probably numbered already.
READ MORE: Week 1 winners and losers from around college football
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Going 50/50
Shohei Ohtani is on the brink of history. The Dodgers star registered 45th and 46th stolen bases against the Diamondbacks on Monday night.
Stolen bases No. 45 AND 46 for Shohei Ohtani!
He's just 4 SB and 6 HR from the first 50/50 season in MLB history. pic.twitter.com/VVERY2ZsFo
— MLB (@MLB) September 2, 2024
He’s four stolen bases and six home runs away from the first 50-50 season in MLB history. Guys. Major League Baseball has been around, technically, since 1876 when the National League was founded. It is so rare for someone to accomplish something that has never been done before in this league. There’s always some “Tungsten Arm” O’Doyle sitting on every record in the league’s existence.
Not this one. This would be the first time this has ever happened. Ohtani has 24 more games to get it done.
Let’s see it.
The bigger they are, the harder they fall
(Photo by ANDREJ ISAKOVIC/AFP via Getty Images)
The early upsets at the US Open kept coming over the weekend. On Friday, Carlos Alcaraz shockingly went down in the second round after losing to Botic van de Zandschulp.
Two more stars exited the tournament, too.
— Novak Djokovic lost to Alexei Popyrin on Friday after only managing to pull one set against the ATP’s No. 28 ranked player.
— Coco Gauff also bowed out of the tournament on Sunday, after falling to WTA no. 13 Emma Navarro. Gauff’s loss means that Serena Williams still stands as the only woman since 2014 to repeat as US Open champion.
There are still names to watch. Iga Swiatek (No. 1) is still at the top of the class on the women’s side and Aryna Sabalenka (No. 2) isn’t far behind her. This is also a chance for Navarro to continue to make a name for herself after losing in the first round of the US Open last year.
On the men’s side, Frances Tiafoe just made the quarterfinals for the third year in a row. Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick and Pete Sampras are the only other American men to make it to at least three US Open quarterfinals since 2000, according to Al Jazeera.
Some of the stars might be out, but will still be an interesting finish. Make sure you’re tapped in.
Quick hits: Joey Chestnut is still the glizzy GOAT … Caitlin Clark MVP chatter … and more
— Meg Hall watched the Chestnut vs. Kobayashi Netflix special and regretted it all. But she got to witness greatness.
— Mychal Thompson making Caitlin Clark MVP arguments is pretty ridiculous. Here’s Charles Curtis with more.
— Prince Grimes has more on the worst Fantasy Football punishment ever.
— Here’s Christian D’Andrea and Cory Woodroof with a comprehensive NFL preview for all 32 teams. Tap in.
— Here’s why A’ja Wilson has been wearing white tees. I might have to get in on this.
That’s a wrap, folks. Thanks so much for rocking with us today. Appreciate you. Have a great day. We’ll do this again tomorrow. Peace.
-Sykes