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Seminoles Show Their Increased Strength

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 6, 2008

Can the Seminoles be too strong?

That seemed the case this week as Florida State's top football players showed up for strength tests. Paul Griffin said he and Budd Thacker were told by their coaches to not risk injury by trying to improve upon their previous bests in the bench press. Practice begins on Thursday.

"We were all pumped up for this," said Griffin, who as a senior said he understood the decision with so much at stake this season.

Griffin, a nose tackle, said he lifted 525 pounds earlier this summer. Fellow defensive lineman Thacker had an earlier effort of 515 in the bench press. Griffin already had missed the 2006 season because of a torn ACL, but he is healthy now following arthroscopic surgery to repair knee cartilage, an injury he said was similar to Drew Weatherford's injury.

There were plenty of efforts this week that had players buzzing. Freshman Nigel Bradham, a former All-American at Wakulla High, bench pressed 480 pounds to match what defensive end Everette Brown said he lifted on Monday. Both lifts are considered excellent, especially for Bradham, who enrolled at FSU in January.

Other players joining Bradham in reaching 400 pounds in the bench press included TB Marcus Sims (425), FB Seddrick Holloway (400), DE Kevin McNeil (400), TB Antone Smith (425) and DL Kendrick Stewart (460).

Offensive linemen Will Furlong (375) and Antwane Greenlee (380), LB Kenny Ingram (370) and QB Christian Ponder (375) were also among the many to make improvement in their upper body strength.

In the clean and jerk, which represents a player's explosiveness, Brown said he did 365 pounds, as did LB Dekoda Watson. Bradham cleaned 360 pounds.

SINGING DEBUT: Christian Ponder and Myron Rolle will do more than walk during Florida State graduation ceremonies on Saturday. The two football players, who earned their undergraduate degrees in 2 1/2 years, will be making their singing debuts.

"We're singing the national anthem even though neither one of us can sing," Ponder said. "I can play in front of 80,000 people, but I don't know if I can sing in front of a couple of thousand."

It wasn't their idea, but both agreed after being approached. They will also be leading the crowd in the pledge of allegiance.

Both enrolled at FSU in January 2006 and will be entering their third season on the team with an undergraduate degree in hand. Rolle, who is expected to be nominated this fall for a Rhodes Scholarship, is a junior in football eligibility. Ponder, who will begin work on his MBA this fall, will be a redshirt sophomore.

Steve Ellis

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