FSU Football: Clean House Should Be Seminoles' Mantra

Cleaning house.

We all know that term—and we better get accustomed to hearing it, because it looks as if there will be a lot of that in the coming months for Florida State.

Lax discipline, an inept academic support department, academic fraud, and players who lack character are just a few of the issues that will be addressed in the coming months.

This didn't just occur over night. For those apologists that want to put their heads in the sand and say that head coach Bobby Bowden should be absolved of any responsibility, I say that is ridiculous.

How many times have we seen Bowden slap players on the wrists when they got into trouble? His idea of punishment was running stadium steps. To use an old saying, the chickens are now coming home to roost.

In the most recent academic fraud case, Bowden expressed how sorry he felt for the players that were suspended. He never mentioned their lack of character and the shame that they have brought on to the Florida State and their football program.

An athletic director needs to be hired sooner rather than later.

FSU needs to get the report of the academic fraud to the NCAA in a timely manner.

FSU president T.K. Wetherell needs to stop being a player and instead be a leader. He no longer is one of the boys on Bowden's football team.

Recruits for 2008 and in the future should be judged as much on their character as their physical skills.

I said at the beginning of the 2007 season that this would be a bumpy ride. Well, you ain't seen nothing yet. The coming months and the 2008 season could be very hard to stomach for FSU fans.

It could get very ugly.

The bottom line is that this program needs a major overhaul starting at the top on down.

One has to wonder if Bowden is the person you want speaking to the press when tough choices are made. What we don't need is someone who bemoans the wrongs instead of saying that we are going to do the right thing.

Decisive leadership and unequivocal statements are needed.

No excuses.

Just clean house.