Florida State wins first ACC title (and get used to it)
Tournament MVP Michael Snaer (21) and others celebrate ACC title (Curtis Compton)
This means something to Florida State. That’s what makes it cool.
This isn’t Mike Krzyzewski giving that, “We lost, whatever,” look after Duke fell in the semifinals Saturday, or North Carolina’s Roy Williams waxing on famously about not caring if “those blue-haired old ladies” criticize him for not viewing the ACC tournament as wonderland.
Because for Duke and North Carolina, March is about the tournament with four letters (NCAA), not three. The ACC tournament, no matter its history and tradition, no matter the fans (blue hairs and others) traveling from Durham, Chapel Hill and all Tobacco roads in between, has been reduced to the dinner salad.
But not for Florida State. This is the entire right side of the menu.
The Seminoles are ACC champions – in football, not basketball. Leonard Hamilton, forever one of the nation’s better coaches whom nobody talks about, finally received some validation for what he’s accomplished over the past several years. On Saturday, Florida State upset Duke, winner of 19 conference tournament championships. On Sunday, it held on to stun North Carolina, winner of 17 tournament titles, 85-82, at Philips Arena.
Afterward, FSU players celebrated like they probably hadn’t since winning the Metro title in 1991, when nobody outside of Tallahassee really cared. (Actually, it’s debatable how many in Tallahassee really cared.)
“I feel like people will finally respect Florida State as a basketball program, rather than just give the ACC to Duke or Carolina from day one – just assume they’re going to win it,” said Seminoles forward Bernard James, who is from Savannah. “We’ve thrown our hat into the mix and now you’ve got to think about us from the beginning.”
It meant something. Florida State split two games with Duke during the regular season, then eliminated the Blue Devils in the semis. It pounded North Carolina by 33 points (90-57) in January, a moment so humiliating for the Tar Heels that “33” was written on a white board at the Heels’ arena as a motivator for the rest of the season.
North Carolina went 14-1 the rest of the season, the only loss coming by one point to Duke. But on Sunday, it was easy to tell which team was starving for attention.
The Tar Heels led only once — at 17-16, for exactly six seconds.
Florida State led by as much as 16 points late in the first half and 14 with 14:38 left in the game. The Noles buried jumpers (shooting 62.5 percent in the first half) and dominated inside.
Williams’ lament: “We didn’t play every possession with a great deal of intensity or concentration.”
North Carolina made its inevitable run, closing to seven points, then four, then one (83-82) with 31 seconds left after a three pointer by Kendall Marshall. But when Marshall missed a jumper with six seconds remaining, it pretty much was over.
The Noles mobbed each other at center court. Confetti fell. The largely powder-blue clad fans – they just sort of watched.
Afterward, Hamilton talked about what it means for his program to crash a party that had been dominated by two schools (Duke or North Carolina coming into the week had won the last seven ACC tournaments, 14 of 15 and 36 of 58 overall).
“We can’t replace Duke and North Carolina because of their history and tradition, but maybe now we’ll receive some recognition for what we’ve been doing,” he said. “We need to start stacking these up.”
Williams knows this wasn’t a fluke. He has been friends with Hamilton for over 30 years, since both were assistants (Williams at North Carolina, Hamilton at Kentucky). When somebody mentioned that Hamilton had become the first African American coach to win an ACC title, it struck Williams as an afterthought.
“To me he’s just a coach,” Williams said. “In my opinion he’s gotten a bad wrap about being just a great recruiter and not being able to coach. I’m not saying anything about him being the first African American because guys our age remember when that [had more significance]. When l look at Leonard Hamilton, I look at him as a peer whom I have a lot of respect for. Yes, he’s African American and I’m white redneck or whatever. But I look at him as a friend.”
Williams, Krzyzewski and everybody else might want to get used to this. This figures to be more than a cameo for Florida State.
By Jeff Schultz
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
70 comments Add your comment
weaseal
March 11th, 2012
4:44 pm
Nice win -Go Noles
Josh
March 11th, 2012
4:47 pm
Love it! Go Noles!
Steve
March 11th, 2012
4:54 pm
Funny how far Tech’s basketball program has fallen. It must suck when you are a basketball school and your basketball team sucks. Great article Jeff!
Paul in NH
March 11th, 2012
4:59 pm
Excellent piece Jeff. FSU deserved their win today – they played hard and demonstrated a great deal of mental toughness. Hamilton has built to this over the last few years and you are right – they’ll be in the mix in the ACC in the future – although they will have a number of players they need to replace.
The Anti-Buzzdraft
March 11th, 2012
5:05 pm
I guess this kills the Tech Fans’ theory about the quality of BCA coaches and their coaching in the ACC. No need to respond, just let it sink in.
wxwax
March 11th, 2012
5:07 pm
I remember one time at the Mall over Christmas I got a bad wrap too.
moorman
March 11th, 2012
5:23 pm
Great article and a good win. In fact, that win in itself is great for the ACC……..who doesnt get tired of duke and carolina winning it every year. Now, if only tech could get back into the mix………….
Merrill Guice
March 11th, 2012
6:03 pm
I remember when Florida State was trying to get into the ACC and the focus was on making sure they were also a basketball school instead of a football-only member. The thinking was that the ‘Noles would dominate football every year; so, having them lose at basketball would bring some balance. Heh.
Gordon
March 11th, 2012
6:15 pm
No one at Tech questions the ability of BCA coaches, anti-BuzzDraft. We questioned the ability of Paul Hewitt, and that was based on 6 underachieving years. If he had produced like Hamiliton has, he would still be our coach.
Gordon
March 11th, 2012
6:18 pm
Is it just me, or has it become very annoying to try to post on the AJC site because of the screen constantly scrolling back to the top? You would think a dying newspaper would not try to drive readers away.
GTBob
March 11th, 2012
6:22 pm
It must suck when you are a basketball school and your basketball team sucks.
When did GT become a basketball school?
Nole girl 93
March 11th, 2012
6:32 pm
I was proud to watch the Noles win this weekend. It was a great show of determination. There is class, and there is class. I’ve seen exemplary class displayed this year by Bernard James when he was ejected from a game and wrote a letter of apology to the president of UVA, the coach, and the president of the ACC. Class exemplified in this year’s tournament by the quotes above from the respect of these two coaches. And class by Duke’s coach making an effort to step into the locker room yesterday to congratulate Michael Snaer. I am proud to be an alum of FSU today. Go Noles. This is a great day for my alma mater!!
Old School
March 11th, 2012
6:37 pm
Really impressed with Florida State. Like Dickie V said, they played to win, instead of getting conservative and playing not to lose. Well done ‘Noles. But a 3 seed?
Steve
March 11th, 2012
6:52 pm
Good point GTBob. I guess Tech is neither. Poor nerds.
Congrats
March 11th, 2012
7:04 pm
Congrats to FSU. They had an excellent season and earned it. The city of Atlanta looked good. Philips with its broken scoreboards is showing its age due to cheap ASG all of which is embarrassing Those attending seemed to enjoy exciting competitive games despite the venue.
kral
March 11th, 2012
7:07 pm
will someone please remove..”body of work”…”eye- test”…from the English language ..esp. sports talk…they do not mean crap…congrats to those in the dance
athletic supporter
March 11th, 2012
7:18 pm
Thanks for beating those wankers from duke and unc. So gross, their fan’s deserve each other.
DawgNole
March 11th, 2012
7:26 pm
Shultz: “Florida State led by nine points at halftime (49-40) and by as much as 16 early in the second.”
______________________
Actually, the Noles led by as much as 16 late in the FIRST half–and by as much as 14 early in the second. More importantlly, they became one of very few teams to beat BOTH Duke and UNC TWICE in the same season. They have earned the accolades they’re receiving.
Gordon
March 11th, 2012
7:49 pm
Steve,
68-56 from our worst team in 30 years. Gregory is in year 1, Fox is in year 3. Get a clue.
Midtown
March 11th, 2012
7:55 pm
Dulkys and Loucks combine for 26 of the ‘Noles points….with Loucks delivering 13 assists…..great to be a ‘Noles fan today…nice recruiting Coach Hamilton.
Captain
March 11th, 2012
8:01 pm
Gordon @6:15
didn’t Hewitt take GT to a Final Four? Paul Hewitt did a very fine job at GT problem was he was African American and GT supporters were never comfortable nor satisfied with him. He had a tough job at GT, recruit the guys to win but lose them to the NBA, or take lesser talent and not win. GT is NOT in the same class as traditional schools such as Duke, UNC, Maryland, NC State but the supporters had the mistaken idea GT was an upper echelon program. GT supporters have a very distorted perception of the GT program, nobody views the program as special but GT people.
Hewitt is a good man, he did a good job at a school with high school facilities at the time. Someone felt he was a great fit how else did he receive such a great contract?
FAN
March 11th, 2012
8:12 pm
Get your own or design you own just email your needs.
http://atlantahaulitallinc.com/Bird_Houses.php
5150 UOAD
March 11th, 2012
8:13 pm
I hate FSU but that was a GREAT win for the NOLES.
GT Alum
March 11th, 2012
8:18 pm
Think you got a typo Jeff in the 5th paragraph…
“The Seminoles are ACC champions – in football, not basketball”
Might want to flip that.
Mike
March 11th, 2012
8:18 pm
I think the author meant to say “in basketball, not football” toward the beginning of the article. Great win for the Noles!
Gordon
March 11th, 2012
8:24 pm
Captain,
The African American excuse is getting REAL old. People weren’t comfortable with him because after his top assistants left in 04 and 05, the bottom fell out. He had the contract he did because he did a GREAT job the first 5 years and he deserved it. The rollover clause was given as an exchange for paying him several hundred thousand dollars under market value after the final four run. But the last 6 years were a disaster. He had ample time to turn it around.
The perception of GT fans regarding our program is based on a 12 year run by Cremins from the mid 80s to mid 90s when we made the NCAAs 10 out of 12 years (bubble other 2 years), won 3 ACC tournaments, and went to the final four. Hewitt’s first 5 years also were proof you can succeed at Tech. The excuse about facilities is just that – an excuse. Cremins did more with far less. It is just like the other Hewitt classic “we’re young”.
The bottom line is that Hewitt failed at Tech once the good assistants left. It doesn’t mean he isn’t a good person or won’t succeed at another level, but he drove our program into the ground. The record speaks for itself.
GTBob
March 11th, 2012
8:32 pm
Good point GTBob. I guess Tech is neither. Poor nerds.
Neither? What was the other option?
Robards
March 11th, 2012
9:51 pm
Jeff, It meant something to Maryland the one time in recent history that the Terps won. Nonetheless, Duke and UNC have continued to win pretty much every year.
Get Real
March 11th, 2012
9:57 pm
Gordon….it is not just you, the screen scrolling back to the top is quite annoying….
Hive Talk
March 11th, 2012
11:08 pm
The racist comments on the hive and other sites against CPH show the mindset of many of the GT fan base. Comments about CPH’s suits being ghetto and him only recruiting street ballers are veiled attacks on his race. One fan went as far as calling Glen Rice Jr a thug. His father is a millionaire but he’s a thug? Why, because he’s African-American? Another fan wished for CBG to recruit only freckled faced kids and not the athletes (African-American) that Hewitt recruited. The problem with Tech fans is that they are stuck in the CBC era where one and dones were not the norm. As the game changed recruiting changed. BC didn’t get it, Hewitt got it, Tech fans didn’t get it.
5150 UOAD
March 12th, 2012
2:35 am
All the upperclassmen leave this year and FSU will be an ALSO RAN next year again. Great game. UNC was missing a BIG piece today. UNC shouldn’t have been playing and NCSU should have. The NCSU v FSU game would have been great to watch too. The Ugly Step sisters trying to wear the Glass Slipper would have made for a great story-line. The ACC still don’t Fear the Spear on the hardwood.
Nole girl 93
March 12th, 2012
4:17 am
Dude, the Noles made the sweet sixteen last year. Guess you don’t pay much attention past SEC football?
Nole girl 93
March 12th, 2012
4:19 am
Dude, FSU made the sweet 16 last year. Hamilton has been at FSU six years and has made this program legit certainly better than GT (which was dismal on Thursday night.)
ormewood
March 12th, 2012
5:31 am
Hamilton is a very underrated coach. FSU has won 10+ ACC games four consecutive years. That’s impressive. The outcome might have been different had Henson played, but give FSU credit. They went 4-1 versus Duke and UNC. They do lose a lot after this season, but for that matter, so does UNC.
Gordon
March 12th, 2012
5:54 am
Hive Talk,
Illinois just fired their coach, who went to the championship game the year after Hewitt did. Since he is white, I guess in their case it was just a school firing an underachieving coach, but in our case it is because we didn’t like the coach because he is black.
Just because a few people on a message board make some stupid comments doesn’t mean the entire fanbase is racist. That is just a pathetic excuse. At some point you have to produce results. Hewitt couldn’t and so he is deservedly gone.
Say Whut
March 12th, 2012
6:10 am
Luckily for FSU, ACC refereees BRIAN DORSEY (who personally made sure UNC won its game over N. C. State,) and KARL (It’s all about me) HESS, were not working the game.
Hess was hiding in the Big East tourney and DORSEY was doing whatever sorry officials do on a day when they aren’t working.
ormewood
March 12th, 2012
6:26 am
Say Whut, was Brian Dorsey responsible for those two NC State turnovers their last two possessions?
jeffrey d
March 12th, 2012
6:36 am
Think you got a typo Jeff in the 5th paragraph…
“The Seminoles are ACC champions – in football, not basketball”
Actually, the ACC determines its football champions on the basketball court
ToeMeetsLeather
March 12th, 2012
6:48 am
Great win for the Noles’, anyone other than Rat Face and the Ref aided Tarholes is fine by me. But Hamilton played yesterday with six seasoned seniors, TECH will finish ahead of them next year in the conference standings.
Hope the Noles make some major noise in the NCAA dance this year!
Hive Talk
March 12th, 2012
6:52 am
Gordon, who said the entire fan base was racist? Stick to the facts in the post.
Gator Mike
March 12th, 2012
7:18 am
Well done Noles! Congrats!
bali
March 12th, 2012
7:35 am
i have really enjoyed watching fsu play basketball this season….congrats to coach hamilton..think he has really done a great job building his basketball program at fsu… duke and north carolina have great programs but is good to see other teams come to the forefront in the acc
Gordon
March 12th, 2012
7:54 am
Hive Talk,
“The racist comments on the hive and other sites against CPH show the mindset of many of the GT fan base.”
Your opening statement gives the impression that a significant portion of the fanbase is racist. That is patently false. Hewitt was embraced when he became our coach, and Tech fans were very patient when things started going south in 2006 through 2008. After that, he began losing support as the losing continued. It had nothing to do with his race.
Right now Leonard Hamilton is “the man” in Tallahassee, and he should be. But if he has as 6 year run like Hewitt did, he will be out there as well. It will have nothing to do with his race, just like it had nothing to due with Illinois’ Bruce Weber firing. To make the kind of money these guys make, you have to produce over the long haul. If you don’t, you’re out. Please leave race out of it.
By the way, most of the George Mason fan base isn’t happy that Hewitt couldn’t get their team into the NCAA’s or even NIT the first year. No one is calling for his head, but if he doesn’t perform they aren’t going to keep him around. I guess they are just a bunch of racists up there in Fairfax.
A Father
March 12th, 2012
7:59 am
Florida State has a great opportunity to win the NCAA. Couple of very tough teams stand in the way but this could actually be a great run.
steverino
March 12th, 2012
8:07 am
Congrats to Coach Hamilton and the Seminoles on a historic and exciting victory. They earned the ACC Championship in every sense of the word. However, they are just a missed open shot (or two) by the Heels from being an also-ran…a ‘nice try, great effort’ story that gets programs unfairly labeled if it happens more than once or twice in a few years time. I’m not minimizing the feat…just a commentary on the tenuous nature in regard to the difference between terrific success and ‘meh’.
A Father
March 12th, 2012
8:10 am
Schultz; will you please show CT how to stand up and pee, he ia a baby.
CT is blocking all post about the arrest of Brandon Smith who we all know was one of the many that were allowed to play against your Florida Gators in 2011 after flunking a drug test twice. This is not Brandon Smiths second time, this is his 3rd time. Not to worry, Mark Richt religion allows dope smoking and assault on females.
simple
March 12th, 2012
8:11 am
UNC had a star out…
A Father
March 12th, 2012
8:12 am
You really need to straighten CT out, he is blocking all post regarding the arrest of Brandon Smith who also flunked drug test prior to Florida 2011 football game but played and was never punished.
The Donk
March 12th, 2012
8:17 am
“The Seminoles are ACC champions – in football, not basketball.”
FYI…I think you reversed these. From my reading, you were trying to show the oddity that is FSU winning an ACC title in basketball.
steverino
March 12th, 2012
8:23 am
GT fans who have closely watched CBG’s first season as HC have reason for optimism, (even though much of it was difficult to look at). That optimism is something that was all but abandoned during most of CPH’s last few seasons at Tech. Will it result in 20+ win seasons and/or ACC championships. Possibly. Nothing is guaranteed. That’s why you play the game. Ask FSU. Indications are that Gregory is instituting a system and mindset that should once again make GT a “player” in the ACC and beyond.
Buckeye
March 12th, 2012
8:32 am
Brandon Smith……………….one fine dog.
Stick with hasbrowns next time.
The Anti-BuzzDraft
March 12th, 2012
8:35 am
Gordon, It looks like someone hit one of your nerves. If you don’t fit the bill why are you going all out to defend those comments? I’m on the Hive and StingTalk and I’ve seen many of those same comments and posts of that nature. There is a difference between many and all.
Gordon
March 12th, 2012
8:46 am
Anti-Buzz,
The implication is false. I’m tired of the racism excuse. Hewitt was treated fairly by Tech, and he even admits that himself.
I am not and have never defended any racist comments, whether on a message board or anywhere else. I am saying the clear implication made by Hive Talk and you that Hewitt lost his support at Tech because of anything to do with race is laughable. He just didn’t win enough games. That doesn’t mean he isn’t a good man or can’t coach or didn’t have any positive accomplishments at Tech because he clearly did. Just stop bringing race into it – it is a lie and you know it.
The Anti-BuzzDraft
March 12th, 2012
10:18 am
Gordon, I never said he lost his support because of his race. Please show me where I said that. I said I have seen those comments on the Hive and StingTalk, nothing more, nothing less.
Hey, A Father...
March 12th, 2012
10:30 am
…what does the Branden Smith story have to do with this article on FSU basketball – get a life so that your kids will have one…
A Father
March 12th, 2012
10:41 am
You are right but Jeff Schultz needs to kick CT in the ??. CT is blocking post from readers and refuses to have the truth associated with his articles. CT has finally posted the arrest account but still refuses to allow readers the opportunity to post. Now why do you think that is???
Brave Hokie
March 12th, 2012
11:07 am
’twas pulling for the ‘Noles {which doesn’t occur often} ~ nice seeing some outside the tobacco road 2 win the ACC tourney…
JW
March 12th, 2012
11:25 am
Great win Noles! Keep the pedal to the metal and let’s see how far this team can go. BTW- people with the argument that Hinson was out and that is the only reason the Noles won…hocus pocus. I seem to recall the Noles beating Carolina by 33 pts. not too long ago, and Mr. Hinson was out there.
Therut
March 12th, 2012
11:26 am
As my friends and co-workers all over the U.S. make fun of the players at UGA, I have to send out 40-50 e-mails explaining that I find that situtaion in Athens just as deplorable.
simple
March 12th, 2012
11:51 am
JW, Hinson may/may not have changed the outcome. The outcome certainly could have been different if instead of a long three attempt, a shorter two was attempted–would have still possibly won the game and there was time.
I agree that FSU played a great game and would have been heart-broken if that last UNC attempt had been successful. I do not pull for either.
Gary
March 12th, 2012
12:02 pm
I never thought I would watch a basketball game and enjoy watching a team play defense until FSU. Starting with last year’s win over Duke, I have never seen a team just shut down a great team’s offense. Duke never had an open look. If they scored, it was because they made a great play on offense, there were no cheap shots… ever. It may not be sexy, but the way FSU played defense on back to back nights against two of the best teams in the country is why Coach Hamilton deserves the praise he is finally getting. That, my friends, is coaching.
GT Dad
March 12th, 2012
12:12 pm
Congrats to the Noles – they played hard and earned several hard-won victories this weekend. I wish them well in the tournament!
As a Jacket fan, I am somewhat jealous but hopeful that things are beginning to turn around so we at least will be in the hunt and competitive in the ACC.
Tokyo jacket
March 12th, 2012
12:46 pm
@Captain, three years before Hewitt got there, AMC had just undergone extensive rennovations. He got his own practice facility while there. He did not do a nice job at Tech for the body of work. He did have a phenominal post season in 2004. He had 2, count them two, seasons with league records greater than .500.
When you cry race as the reason for CPH’s firing, you’re degrading the people who actually are victims of racism. Shame on you for that because there truly are people who are criticized, treated, and fired unfairly. CPH was not one of them.
And to hear you tell the story, CPH is off crying. Yeah, crying all the way to the bank w/ his $7 million dollars from Tech.
Congrats to CLH on the win. Big achievement. Classy remarks from Roy Williams.
IndyGT
March 12th, 2012
1:00 pm
I like watching FSU play, and hate to admit this. But, for the past 5 years or so – FSU has established themselves as the best team in the ACC, outside of Duke, UNC. Which, in my opinion is really where we should sit. And I’m trying to pick my brain, but I can’t remember them getting a really high profile recruit in a while.. they certainly haven’t gotten a Derrick Favors. I wonder how many burger boys have come to Tallahasee. Their starting lineup is composed of 4 seniors, and they play D like their lives depended on it. It was a good game to watch, but I don’t see GT overtaking FSU for a good while.
Gordon
March 12th, 2012
3:42 pm
Anti-Buzzdraft,
“I guess this kills the Tech Fans’ theory about the quality of BCA coaches and their coaching in the ACC.”
Tell me what that means. You posted it at 5pm yesterday. It means that Tech people think black coaches can’t coach as well as white coaches. The clear implication is that Hewitt didn’t make it at Tech because of his race.
TDone
March 12th, 2012
4:57 pm
To Hive Talk, I guess Mark Bradley is a racist too. Since he wanted Hewitt gone more than any Tech person I know.
TDone
March 12th, 2012
5:00 pm
By the way, was Chan Gailey a member of the BCA?
chris
March 12th, 2012
8:49 pm
Go NOles..Very proud of the way the team held together this season and in the title game yesterday when NC made its run in the second half……….Been a long time coming and wait to see the basketball program get the recognition it deserves…Leonard Hamilton – this one’s for you friend! great job! Let’s roll the dice in the NCAA and see what happens. Anything is possible.
zillionairewithbadhair
March 14th, 2012
9:49 am
Nah, Roy and bignose will alway’s get the calls. NC State got hosed saturday, should have been in finals. The big money boy’s in the triangle will make sure Puke and the ugly blue will be there. It is a big reason why this conference has gone down. Maybe the influx of Big East teams will bring back some glory lost.
`Rambo Dog
March 15th, 2012
1:25 am
@ A Father
You really need to straighten CT out, he is blocking all post regarding the arrest of Brandon Smith who also flunked drug test prior to Florida 2011 football game but played and was never punished.
Wah…wah…wah, they won’t let me post my crap about UGA. They have kicked our arses so many times and I am hoping to get a lick in…
Shut up, d’arse, prepare for your next beat down. B. Smith will be there.