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Weinke savors last goal

By BRIAN LANDMAN

© St. Petersburg Times, published November 15, 2000

TALLAHASSEE -- For Florida State quarterback Chris Weinke, the enormity of the accomplishment hasn't hit home.

He and his fellow seniors enter Saturday's regular-season finale against Florida -- a showdown that could vault the winner into the national championship game -- as the most successful class in the football program's storied history.

"It's just amazing," he said. "I've had phone calls and letters saying, "It's your last game at home. Can you believe it's over? Look at what you've been able to accomplish as a team.' And it is amazing."

Weinke and company are 55-5, a .917 winning percentage. That record includes five Atlantic Coast Conference titles, three national title games and one championship.

Tailback Travis Minor said he hasn't thought about that yet. He's too focused on adding two wins to that resume, one against the Gators and one in the Jan. 3 Orange Bowl.

"We're all still trying to get that goal that we set," he said, referring to the Bowl Championship Series title game. "When it's all over officially, I guess we can look back and see what we accomplished as a senior class."

But he and his fellow seniors know Saturday will be more emotional for them as they stride into Doak Campbell Stadium for the last time for a game.

"Knowing it's our last (home) game for this group of seniors is going to make this game even that much more special," Weinke said. "I don't know how I'm going to react when I walk out there. This group of seniors will never be forgotten, no matter what happens in this game."

ADDED INCENTIVE: Even without the national championship implications, senior linebacker Brian Allen said he couldn't play in a more important game than Saturday's. He hasn't forgotten that Florida all but ignored him during the recruiting process.

"I don't want to jinx myself, but if you look at the games I've played against them ... you can see there's something special about that game, something that's allowed me to give a little extra effort in that ballgame," he said.

That's a sentiment that other Seminoles share.

"I was recruited by them a little bit; then they told me they didn't think I had the size and I wouldn't fit in their plans," senior offensive guard Justin Amman said. "After I committed here with FSU, the next day I got a call. I was going fishing, and coach Ray Stephens called (saying), "Yeah, we kind of messed up and missed you a little bit there and didn't quite look at some things.' It made me so angry after that. "Nah, I'm going fishing. I've got the guys in the truck waiting.' "

APPEAL IN THE WORKS: Freshman guard J.D. Bracy, a highly touted men's basketball prospect who was declared a partial academic qualifier and must sit out the season, may yet play. School officials have sent an appeal to the NCAA.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING: The volleyball team enters this week's ACC women's tournament on a high note, fresh off impressive wins against Georgia Tech and Clemson. Tech is the top seed in the tournament, which begins Thursday at Wake Forest.

"That's big," coach Cecile Reynaud said. "We got some confidence this weekend. We definitely played our best volleyball of the year this past weekend."

No. 4-seeded FSU, which opens against No. 5 Duke on Friday, needs to carry that over if it is to have any hope of reaching the NCAA Tournament. The ACC Tournament champion receives an automatic berth, and that might be FSU's lone shot at the post-season.

-- Brian Landman covers Florida State athletics. He can be reached at (813) 226-3347 or by e-mail at landman@sptimes.com.

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