Monday, November 11, 2013
Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles Start Early!
FGCU Eagles Set the
Alarm Clocks Early!
On Tuesday morning, several thousand
supporters of the Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles and the players, had to
rise early for their first basketball game of the season. The event was part of
a special day of basketball promoted by the sports network ESPN. Game time?
7:00am. It was advertised as “Breakfast at the Beach”. Hartford supplied the
opposition.
At first I thought it was a printing
error on the schedule. It is simply not a concept I would ever consider;
nonetheless, it is what it is, and the Alico Arena near Fort Myers was packed
to the rafters.
The Eagles gained national attention
last year as the “Cinderella Team” in the NCAA basketball mix. They played
their way into the “Sweet Sixteen”, quite unexpectedly. They knocked off
Georgetown and San Diego State to advance last March. It is a relatively young
school, with players not expected to be drafted high by the NBA teams.
Call it what you will: a fine mix,
great chemistry, a perfect storm. Once they got into the playoffs last season,
they had a magnificent run, waking the basketball world. Coach Andy Enfield
vowed to stay with the team for years to come, then saw the colour of
California money and flew the coop, heading to the University of Southern
California in Los Angeles. He apparently signed for $ 1.5 million a season,
just a touch more than the $ 150 000 he
had been paid at FGCU.
Some of the key players from last
year’s team have moved on. Brett Comer, Chase Fieler, and Bernard Thompson are
returning players, and are expected to lead the team this year. Two other
outstanding players transferred to FGCU last year, but were ineligible to play,
according to NCAA four year transfer regulations. Nate Hicks and Jamail Jones
cannot wait to get on the floor.
“We have an enormous amount of talent
on this year’s roster as well as an extremely knowledgeable coaching staff. We
have the ability to be every bit as successful as we were last season,” Hicks
reported to the FGCU newspaper.
Joe Dooley has taken over the
coaching duties at the school. He was an assistant the past ten years at
Kansas, under coach Bill Self. The Jayhawks won nine straight Big 12 regular
season titles, and one national championship under Self and Dooley. Brett Comer
described Dooley as being “intense,” and “more vocal and strict” than Enfield. Dooley
is more defensive-minded than Enfield, which will involve some adjustment by
the players.
The Eagles played their first game on
the road last Friday, and lost to a strong opponent in Nebraska. The
Cornhuskers started fast, and never trailed, winning 79-55 in their new stadium
in downtown Lincoln. But the night is young, and there is a strong movement for
more success here in “Dunk City”!
James Hurst
Sportslices.blogspot.com
November 12, 2013
# posted by James Hurst @ 7:39 PM 
