Clark: A somber look back, a hopeful look forward for FSU basketball

I'll be honest with you, fine folks. I've had a hard time writing anything at all these last few days.

I still haven't processed what has happened, what is happening and what is going to happen. It didn't even occur to me until mid-day Sunday that it was Selection Sunday. That it was supposed to be Selection Sunday.

It feels like the last live sporting event I watched was six months ago.

It was just last weekend that the Florida State men's basketball team won its first-ever ACC regular-season title. It feels like it happened six years ago.

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At this point, we were supposed to know who the Seminoles were playing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and breaking down their very real chances of getting to the Final Four.

Instead, it's all over.

The best regular season in school history. Perhaps the best basketball team Leonard Hamilton has ever coached. With nowhere to play.

It's such a shame.

Not the decision to cancel sports. This is a public health and economic crisis. A national emergency. Sports isn't a top priority for anyone right now.

But man, even with that sage perspective (I'm so, so wise), it doesn't mean I can't be sad about this. I've been in love with sports since I could spell, "Dale Murphy." It's not just my livelihood, it's an enormous part of my life. Always has been.

It's what me and my Dad bonded about when I was a kid. It's what me and my son bond about now.

And it's suddenly gone for who knows how long.

What makes it worse is that it happened so quickly. Four days ago, the great Ira Schoffel was in Greensboro, N.C., to see if the Seminoles could win another ACC Tournament title (spoiler alert: They did!). Now, we're wondering if and when sports will return this year.

And more to the point of this column, we're left to wonder just how far this Florida State basketball team would've gone if the season hadn't been prematurely nixed. It will always be the great, "What If?" for Seminole fans, players and coaches.

Because there's a chance, a good one actually, that this FSU squad could've made a magical run in March. Would any of us have been surprised after what we saw the last four months?

This team already stunned us all with win after win after win ... despite losing six of its top eight scorers from a year ago. This is a team that won 16 of 20 conference games, turned Louisville star Jordan Nwora into a poster, turned Notre Dame coach Mike Brey into a minute-long rant and viral video, turned the Tucker Center into one of the loudest arenas in the country, turned Trent Forrest into a legend, and turned Patrick Williams and Devin Vassell into future NBA Draft picks.

This team will always be remembered.

This team will always be be beloved.

Yet this team will never ... get ... to ... know.

That's what's so maddening. I love that Forrest got to climb a ladder and cut a piece of net down after that win over Boston College. It's just a shame he didn't get a chance to cut down anything else.

I feel awful for Hamilton, too. In his 18th season at Florida State, he had his greatest season. He had a very real shot of not just getting to a third straight Sweet 16 but a first-ever Final Four. What an accomplishment that would have been for him.

But alas. There's no Final Four to go to.

Here's the good news, though. Well, two pieces of good news actually.

Because there are no current sports to write about, and because I'm an incredible human being, starting later this week I'm going to write about Florida State's quest for a national title in the What-Could-Have-Been 2020 NCAA Tournament.

Follow along for all the action! Can the Seminoles avoid an upset in the first round in Tampa? Can they take advantage of the No. 2 seed and home-state venue to get out of the first weekend?

Can M.J. Walker avoid injury? Can Trent Forrest hit any more game-winners. Or steal any more souls with late-game dunks? Can Patrick Williams break a backboard?

And most importantly, can Hamilton and the fellas cut down any more nets this season? You didn't get to watch it on TV, but you'll be able to read all about it right here on Warchant. So get excited!

And back to reality, there is a reason to be excited even with the sadness of the canceled season.

Florida State basketball is a program now. Not just a flash in the pan. Not just a one-season or one-senior-class wonder.

The Seminoles are legitimately one of the best college basketball programs in the nation. When the sportsbook BetOnline released odds on Monday for teams to win the 2021 national championship, Florida State was among the top 10.

Gonzaga and Virginia topped the list at 9/1, followed by Kansas at 10/1 and Kentucky at 12/1. Just a few spots back were FSU, North Carolina and Wisconsin tied at 20/1.

That's pretty good company.

So when this country gets past this, and when sports start back up again, and when college basketball practice starts again, there's a very good reason to think that not only will Florida State be an NCAA Tournament team yet again, but that it again will be a contender for the Final Four.

And yes, that's even if Williams and Vassell leave for the NBA. This program has proven it is around to stay. And next year's team, which brings in five-star forward Scottie Barnes, four-star wing Sardaar Calhoun and whatever other recruits Hamilton has up his sleeve, will be very good.

But if those two guys announce they're coming back?

Well, let's just say that would be a golden lining to this awful storm cloud. Because the Seminoles would likely be a preseason Top 5 team in the country.

Either way, the Seminoles are going to be good. That's just who they are now. So rest easy knowing that Florida State basketball isn't going anywhere.

It's just such a shame we'll never get to know how far this one would have went.

Contact senior writer Corey Clark at corey@warchant.com and follow @corey_clark on twitter.

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