Tallahassee attorney Will Fixel joins Seminole Sidelines to discuss the latest developments and explain terminology in the FSU-ACC case with Osceola publisher Jerry Kutz and editor Bob Ferrante.

We discuss and define topics like ripeness and personal jurisdiction, which were topics in Judge John Cooper's courtroom on Monday. While Cooper ordered the FSU and ACC to sit down and mediate, Fixel explains why that could be more complex than in other cases.

Fixel also joined the Osceola in early April to discuss the case. If you missed it, watch that video here or check out the April 12 edition of Seminole Sidelines on the Apple podcast app.

Seminole Sidelines is sponsored by Seminoles2Ireland.com, which has built travel packages to help FSU fans enjoy the season opener against Georgia Tech and build fan experiences in and around Dublin in August, as well as Alumni Hall.

(Watch or listen to the show at the link, it will also be on Apple podcast app soon.)

My family is mourning the sudden and unexpected loss of my 44 year old nephew early this morning.
He was a healthy guy non smoker in good health. Collapsed and despite every effort to save him surgeons discovered he suffered a ruptured aorta. Leaves behind a wife and two children. We’re in shock. His Dad (my brother) is inconsolable, 💔😔
When you hear people say be glad for every day and tell your family you love them no words could be truer.

Rivals will be hosting its Elite Camp in Atlanta on Sunday morning. The on-field workouts and drills will start around 9:30 am (there is a 90-percent chance of rain when the camp is scheduled to begin, and the chances of rain don't fall below 70-percent until late afternoon, as far as what the forecast calls for at this time). There are several dozen prospects from the classes of 2025 and 2026 that either have offers from FSU or are receiving interest from the Seminoles.

2025 Prospects Expected to Participate

Faheem Delane
Anquon Fegans
Zion Grady
Jontae Gilbert
Lagonza Hayward
Jakaleb Faulk
Alvin Henderson
Antwann Hill
Brayden Jacobs
Duke Johnson
Ezekiel Marceline
Naeshaun Montgomery
Zayden Walker
Tavion Wallace
Jett White


The 2026 list is equally as impressive.

Tyler Atkinson
Cam Brooks
Desmond Green
Kail Ellis
Kaiden Hall
Bear McWhorter
Kaiden Protho

Weather permitting, we will have updates during the course of the day on Twitter and on this thread.

You can follow me, National Recruiting Analyst John Garcia and the Rivals Team on Twitter/X for live updates or check the board for updates periodically.

FSU sports information:

Florida State Athletics (FSU) and The Brandr Group (TBG) have established an agreement for student-athletes competing across all the school’s varsity teams that will enable FSU student-athletes to profit from their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) using the school’s official trademarks and logos. The partnership gives Brandr the ability to use FSU Athletics marks as part of a group licensing program they are offering to all FSU student-athletes.

“We’re pleased and excited to enter into this partnership with Brandr,” said Michael Alford, FSU Vice President and Director of Athletics. “This agreement is part of our ongoing efforts to ensure that we are helping our student-athletes have access to the types of services necessary for maximizing their value as they pursue NIL opportunities that allow them to both earn money and garner practical work experience.”

TBG, a brand management, marketing, and licensing agency, will manage and administer the program while creating licensing opportunities on behalf of the student-athletes. Additionally, it will support the collective use of student-athletes' NIL in licensing and marketing programs, facilitating opportunities on behalf of the student-athletes, while not limiting individual NIL rights. All student-athlete participation is voluntary.

With decades of collective management experience for some of the world's largest brands, TBG has managed group rights programs in the college space and for the NFL, NBA, and MLB players’ associations.

The comprehensive partnership positions Florida State as a leader in the NIL space, fashioning a complete approach to engaging with premier brands, maximizing athlete revenue, and driving engagement between student-athletes and fans. For instance, one of the first activations as part of this partnership is with ONIT, an innovative, new entrant into the trading cards and sports memorabilia space that creates high-end trading cards tailored to the NIL marketplace. ONIT and Brandr have partnered with Florida State softball student-athletes to release a set of trading cards featuring every member of the team.

TBG also has collaborated with Florida State athletes on several earlier TBG national program activations, including ones with national brands like Taco Bell and Dodge Ram, with more campaigns planned for the coming months in various industries like sports memorabilia and e-commerce programs.

“We’re thrilled to be able to partner with Florida State, knowing their robust embrace of group rights licensing puts them at the forefront of what is an ever-changing marketplace and allows them to drive opportunities that can yield maximum benefit for their student-athletes,” said Wesley Haynes, CEO of TBG. “One of the most intriguing aspects about this partnership is the endorsement made by the broader Florida State community, from the school’s leadership to its donors and alumni. That type of buy-in is crucial to success, and we’re excited to create innovative campaigns, programs and experiences that drive value for all involved, most importantly Seminole student-athletes.”

Products combining team logos with player names and numbers have accounted for a significant portion of licensed merchandise sales in professional sports for decades, and this program provides the same opportunities for collegiate student-athletes.

Fans can expect to be able to purchase official Florida State merchandise, including team jerseys with the name and number of Seminoles players who have joined the respective group licensing program, once TBG enters into agreements with applicable school trademark licensees.

Florida State Women’s Basketball coach Brooke Wyckoff has secured her first transfer for the upcoming 2024-25 season, adding talented Brazilian shooting guard Raiane Dias Dos Santos from Gulf Coast State College. The redshirt freshman guard will have three years of college eligibility remaining at FSU.

“We are thrilled with the addition of Raiane to our team next season,” Wyckoff said. “She is an experienced basketball player who brings a versatile skill set that will add to our guard play for next season. Raiane is a hard worker and an amazing person. I know our fans will enjoy getting to know her and see what she brings on the court.”

FSU sports information:

Florida State football recognized four student-athletes with spring awards, head coach Mike Norvell announced Tuesday.

Offensive lineman Maurice Smith and defensive back Azareye’h Thomas earned the Parrish Owens Heart of a Nole Award, presented in recognition of outstanding leadership and commitment to the Florida State University football program. Defensive back Fentrell Cypress II earned the program’s Unconquered Points Champion, and long snapper Mason Arnold took home the Seminole Service Award.

“I am proud to recognize these four players for their work in the winter and spring,” Norvell said. “This is the first time we have done spring awards since I have been the head coach at Florida State. The commitment we have already seen from this year’s team has been remarkable, and I wanted to recognize that in a tangible way. Fentrell and Mason have been committed to supporting their teammates and other student-athletes at FSU while also focusing on academics and impacting the greater Tallahassee community. Maurice and Azareye’h did a great job of continuing to grow throughout spring practices and have emerged as leaders on our team. Their work to continue getting better on the field while also exemplifying and upholding our standard in the classroom and in the community provided a tremendous example to our team.”

The criteria for the Parrish Owens Heart of a Nole Award includes showing leadership on and off the field, consistency through 15 spring practices and high performance in the Unconquered Accountability Challenge, which provides points for every aspect of expectations on and off the field during the offseason program.

“Parrish Owens has a remarkable heart for Florida State as an institution and a commitment to the student-athletes here at FSU,” Norvell said. “His leadership has made a valuable and appreciated impact on our program, and Maurice and AZ are worthy recipients of the first Parrish Owens Heart of a Nole Award.”

The Seminoles will begin preseason camp in July to continue preparations for their season opener on Aug. 24 in Dublin, Ireland, against Georgia Tech.

FSU sports information:

The Florida State women's soccer program and head coach Brian Pensky has continued their offseason momentum with another premier signing in Jordyn Bugg, who recently reclassified to the fall of 2024.

The defender out of El Cajon, California, was deemed the No. 4 overall recruit nationally in the class of 2025, before her reclassification. Bugg has spent the past several years training with the San Diego Wave of the NWSL. She has been a consistent piece in the US Youth National Team program. Most recently, Bugg traveled to Germany with the U-20 United States Youth National Team, where she joined current Florida State players Jordynn Dudley, Heather Gilchrist, Maggie Taitano and Taylor Suarez. The U-20 squad played friendlies against Germany and Canada as all five Noles work to earn spots on the 2024 World Cup Team. In the fall of 2023, Bugg was the only player to start all five matches with the U-19 USYNT, as they earned Bronze at 2023 Pan American Games.

In the Fall of 2022, Bugg competed in the U-17 World Cup for the United States in Bhubaneswar, India. Bugg played in three out of the four matches at the World Cup while also making a start in the second group stage match against Brazil. Bugg has also made appearances on the U-16 USYNT in 2022. Bugg was a two-time ECNL Southwest All-Conference First Team honoree. Bugg was also a basketball and track athlete.

Bugg comes from an athletic family as her dad, Patrick, played football at Eastern Kentucky while her mom, Tam - a Tallahassee native - played basketball at Eastern Kentucky. Bugg is also the cousin of Terrion Arnold who played corner at Alabama and is a projected first round pick in this year's NFL Draft. Bugg is the oldest of five children.

FSU sports information:

Florida State softball's Jaysoni Beachum was named the ACC Player of the Week on Tuesday morning thanks to her performance in five games against Alabama State and Boston College last week. Beachum is the first Seminole to win the award this season and is the first true freshman from Florida State to be named ACC Player of the Week since Sydney Sherrill on April 10, 2018.

Beachum has had one of the best freshmen seasons in school history and this past week was no different. Beachum hit four home runs in five games and tallied eight RBI to bring her season total to 50. Beachum hit .467 on the week with seven hits and was also walked four times to end the week with a .550 on base percentage. Beachum also posted a 1.333 slugging percentage.

Beachum is not only one of the best freshmen hitters in the country but one of the best overall hitters in the country. Beachum's .447 batting average ranks 12th in the country. Beachum also ranks in the top 25 nationally in hits, RBI and slugging percentage.

Beachum is on pace to break the FSU freshman record for batting average, hits, RBI, slugging percentage and on base percentage. She needs just nine RBI to break Sherrill's freshman record of 58 RBI which would also put her seventh all-time on FSU's top 10 list for most single season RBI.

The Seminoles will be back in action Wednesday night when they take on No. 10 Florida in Gainesville. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. and can be seen live on SEC Network+.

(Updates on Jasper Parker, Jordan Girdon and Preston Ashley)

With so many visits and spring games going on there has been an information overload this week and so a second Recruiting Rumor Mill was needed. Here’s the latest from Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney.

FSU sports information:

Florida State Athletics and the Seminole Boosters have created a new fan involvement opportunity to support the Marching Chiefs with the formation of the Marching Chiefs Coaches Club, it was announced Monday.

“Florida State has an unmatched game day environment, and the Marching Chiefs play a huge role in that,” FSU Vice President and Director of Athletics Michael Alford said. “With this new initiative, we are providing fans an opportunity to directly support the Marching Chiefs’ efforts to take the impact they create inside Doak Campbell Stadium to support the team on the road. We look forward to other stadiums feeling a little bit more like home while allowing fans in different areas of the country, and world, to experience the Marching Chiefs.”

The new Marching Chiefs Coaches Club will enhance the travel fund, allowing band participation at more away games. Previously, the band was limited to one or two road games per year, but with the support of the Marching Chiefs Coaches Club the Marching Chiefs have plans to travel with a pep band to Dublin, Ireland, Dallas and Miami during the 2024 season.

“The Marching Chiefs are an essential part of the Florida State game day,” Seminole Boosters President and CEO Stephen Ponder said. “They enhance our atmosphere for the fans and give our sports teams a competitive advantage. Seminole Boosters want to ensure that their program is funded properly to continue their legacy of excellence.”

Fans who get involved with the Coaches Club will experience a greater connection with the Marching Chiefs and FSU Athletics, while directly impacting away games. The Marching Chiefs, part of the FSU College of Music, is an academic ensemble comprised of 420 students from across the university. The Marching Chiefs support athletic events throughout the school year, bringing a high level of performance and an unrivaled school spirit to the events in which they participate.

“The College of Music is excited to be working closely with Seminole Boosters to support the Marching Chiefs,” Dean of College of Music Todd Queen said. “This unprecedented new partnership will support travel activities for our Marching Chiefs, who serve as important ambassadors for the university.”

Seminole Boosters, the official Direct Support Organization for Florida State Athletics, established Coaches Clubs for each varsity team at FSU more than 20 years ago to allow fans to be part of the programs they love while supporting specific initiatives within each program that aren’t covered by the annual budget. Coaches Club donations can be made at SeminoleBoosters.com.

After starting to sell turquoise football uniforms last fall, FSU's QBs are wearing the turquoise Seminole Heritage uniforms for today's Spring Showcase.

Feels like a big step towards using them in a game.

Took down the #1 seed UVA to bring home the first ever ACC Title for the Noles! Down 2-0 early and eventually 3-1 in match count, the Noles clinched the title 4-3 by winning #1 singles over the #4 player in the nation!

Over the moon. Congrats to Coach and the team!

The women had a great run as well as they made it to the semis, and were also on hand to watch the men win it.

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Go Noles!!!

Redshirt freshman FSI wide receiver Vandrevius Jacobs has entered the portal. Jacobs was a standout last spring as a true freshman but had just 60 yards and a touchdown in 2023.

Also an important note, Ferrer was just getting some rest today. He could have gone but Link gave him the day off.

https://floridastate.rivals.com/new...am-record-9th-grand-slam-to-blow-past-ospreys

Florida State returns home to play host to North Florida on Tuesday at 6 p.m. There will be a live stream on ACC Network Extra.

The Seminoles are coming off a 1-3 week but have the benefit of two full off days as the Wake series wrapped up on Saturday night.

RHP Matt Sauser will be on the mound for FSU in a starter (opener) role.

FSU sports information:

Florida State Men’s Golf sophomore Luke Clanton has been selected to represent Team USA in the 2024 Arnold Palmer Cup held at Lahinch Golf Club in Lahinch, Ireland, from July 5-7. The announcement was made on Tuesday afternoon on the GOLF Channel.

Clanton is one of 10 USA men’s selections by the committee, currently ranking No. 2 overall in collegiate golf according to the latest Clippd ratings used by the NCAA. The Hialeah, Fla., native and American Heritage High School performer is shooting 69.30 in the 2023-24 academic year, an average that would break the single-season low at FSU.

The Arnold Palmer Cup was co-founded by Arnold Palmer and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) and began at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge, Orlando, Fla., in 1997. The event is a Ryder Cup-style tournament featuring the top men’s and women’s university/college golfers matching the United States against a team of International players.

The Palmer Cup has been played at some of the world’s greatest courses, including The Old Course at St. Andrews, The Royal County Down, Royal Portrush, Baltusrol, The Honors Course, and Cherry Hills. Beginning with the 2018 matches at Evian Resort Golf Club, the Palmer Cup is the only major tournament that features men and women playing side-by-side as partners.

Clanton joins Mirabel Ting of Florida State Women’s Golf among the Seminole representatives in the Arnold Palmer Cup, as she will be playing for the International Team.

The famous Irish links at Lahinch Golf Club were supposed to host the Palmer Cup in 2020, but had its location postponed due to the Coronavirus Pandemic.

Clanton’s selection gives Florida State Men’s Golf its eighth participant in the Arnold Palmer Cup since 2007, joining teammates Frederik Kjettrup (2022, 2023) and Cole Anderson (2023), John Pak (2020), Jonas Blixt (2007, 2008), Rowan Caron (2015), Harry Ellis (2017) and Vincent Norrman (2020).

FSU sports information:

Florida State All-American Mirabel Ting has been selected to play as a member of the International Team in the Arnold Palmer Cup, which will take place at the Lahinch Golf Club in Lahinch, Ireland, July 5-7, 2024. It marks the second consecutive year Ting has played for the International Team at the Arnold Palmer Cup. Florida State All-American Lottie Woad was selected to play for the International Team but declined the invitation in order to play in the Amundi Evian Championship in France – the second major of her career.

The United States defeated Ting, Woad, and the International squad by a 32-28 margin in the 2023 Arnold Palmer Cup at the Laurel Valley Club in Ligonier, Pa.

The Arnold Palmer Cup was co-founded by the great Arnold Palmer and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) in 1997. The event features the top-ranked men’s and women’s collegiate players.

Ting finished in a tie for eighth place at the recently completed Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Augusta National Golf Club.

In her first season at Florida State, Ting has helped lead the Seminoles to the team championship at the Guadalajara Collegiate Invitational championship and five top-five team finishes this year. She is ranked second on the team in stroke average (71.07) and earned medalist honors at the Valspar Augusta Invitational.

Ting earned 2.0 points in four matches during the 2023 Arnold Palmer Cup. She helped earn points in the Friday Foursome match as well as in her Saturday Singles match.

In her first season at Florida State after transferring from Augusta University, Ting has one individual tournament championship and six top-eight individual finishes in six events. She finished in a tie for seventh place in last week’s ACC Championship. Ting is a cumulative total of 13 strokes under par in her six events as a Seminole.

“It’s an honor to be named to the Arnold Palmer Cup team for the second time,” said Ting. “The Arnold Palmer Cup tournament is a fun week when we get to partner up with the boys. Last year I was not quite ready with my game. It’s all about the small things in the game that I was not ready for a year ago. Florida State’s coaches have helped me improve a great deal. It’s not an individual game anymore. What I learned last year (at the Arnold Palmer Cup) is that I have to practice and play the shots that I’m not used to playing.”

Ting’s selection to the 2024 Palmer Cup marks the fifth time since 2019 that the Seminole Women’s Golf team has been represented in the event. The Seminoles will be represented by Ting in 2024, were represented by Woad and Charlotte Heath in 2023, Amelia Williamson in 2022, Beatrice Wallin in 2021 and Frida Kinhult in 2019. Robert Duck, a current Seminole Assistant Coach and former member of the Arnold Palmer Cup selection committee helped lead the International team along with Kinhult in 2019.

Under Bond, the Seminole women’s program has had an Arnold Palmer Cup player in five of the seven years since the Palmer Cup expanded.

The Ryder Cup style competition features men’s and women’s collegiate golfers from the United States against a team of international players.

Will FSU tie or break its program record of 11 players taken in a single NFL Draft this week?

I rounded up seven-round mock drafts from a few national outlets to see how many Seminoles could be drafted this week.

The Rivals Camp Series' stop in Atlanta had a deep group of receivers and tight ends on Sunday. Naturally, there was recruiting news coming from that group as well.

Rivals national recruiting analysts Adam Friedman and John Garcia Jr. have the latest on several names.

The FSU vs ACC court case resumes Monday at 9:30 am at the Leon County Courthouse. Judge John Cooper will again be presiding.

The legal team for FSU, including general counsel Carolyn Egan, has arrived. This includes attorneys Peter Rush and David Ashburn.

Alan Lawson leads the ACC's legal team.

Catch up: Allnoles' lawsuit updates

We will have updates below from court room 3G in the thread

The RBC Heritage is still in its traditional post-Masters spot on the schedule, but now with a new boost as one of this season’s designated events.
Located just 130 miles from Augusta National, the RBC Heritage been a staple on TOUR since 1969. The tournament has a reputation for offering a relaxing trip to the South Carolina Lowcountry after the stress of the year’s first major. Players can’t ease up with another strong field to face, however.
Masters champion Jon Rahm, PLAYERS champion Scottie Scheffler and world No. 5 Max Homa will add to their limited history at Harbour Town this week. Rahm’s only appearance in the RBC Heritage came in 2020, while Scheffler will be making his tournament debut.
They’ll be facing a course that makes up for its lack of length with tight fairways and the TOUR’s tiniest greens. Harbour Town’s famed finishing hole, flush against the Calibogue Sound, is one of the most scenic settings on TOUR, with the famed red-and-white lighthouse standing sentry over the green.
The winner will hoist the trophy on Harbour Town’s 18th green with the satisfaction that he beat the best players in the game on a classic layout that offers a distinctive test.

FIELD NOTES: FIELD

FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 FedExCup points.
COURSE: Harbour Town Golf Links, par 71, 7,121 yards (yardage subject to change). The Pete Dye/Jack Nicklaus design has hosted the RBC Heritage since the 1960s and continues to challenge the best golfers in the world with its small and contoured putting surfaces, overhanging mossy oaks, tight fairways, and strategically placed bunkers.
Look for an elite ball striker – or someone who has an elite ball-striking week – to be near the top of the leaderboard again come Sunday. Both of the winners at Harbour Town the last two years (Jordan Spieth and Stewart Cink) were first at week’s end in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green.
72-HOLE RECORD: 262, Webb Simpson (2020)
18-HOLE RECORD: 61, David Frost (2nd round, 1994), Troy Merritt (2nd round, 2015).


Congratulations again to last week's winner @FSU & Golf

@FSUdawg extends the overall season lead as the tour heads to South Carolina



Good luck to everyone this week

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