2014 ACC media days coverage from Greensboro

The ACC released its preseason media projections, and in no surprise, Florida State is the overwhelming favorite to win the conference once again. While the Atlantic Division races doesn’t look like much of one, the Coastal Division figures to be interesting. Miami was picked to win the division, but had the third-most first-place votes, behind Duke (picked second) and North Carolina (picked fourth).

Here are all the projections, from the ACC:

Florida State’s head coach Jimbo Fisher’s interview with the media was shown live at the Grandover Resort in Greensboro, N.C., and the replay is available below. Most highlights were noted in real time in the comment section.

Fisher also spoke with the TV media, and the transcript of that is available below.

ACC Media Days are happening right now. Maryland coach Randy Edsall is not attending, because he now coaches in the Big Ten. Edsall said last week that he was happy to be going to Chicago, rather than Greensboro, this year, because he would finally be in a “football conference.”

This is typical of offseason ribbing that we get during media days, but you don’t tell Clemson coach Dabo Swinney the ACC is a basketball conference and just get away with it.

Conference realignment has caused a bit of a pissing match between the conferences to determine who really has the strongest strength of schedule.

The Big 12 implies the ACC and SEC are cowardly for only playing eight conference games per season, while Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher said at ACC Media Days that it’s “ridiculous” that certain conference champions (like the Big 12’s) don’t have to play in conference championship games.

You can stream most of the ACC Kickoff, the conference’s two-day media event, online at the conference’s website. Here’s the schedule for all that.

If you want that extra supplement of coverage, however, you’re at the right place. Our own Bud Elliott has created a Twitter list of people who will be on the scene in Greensboro. There will be news, pictures, jokes and a whole lot of other stuff we simply can’t predict.

This, in response a follow up to my question about whether it was fair that players can join Major League Baseball after high school, but the NFL requires three years. I thought Winston was the perfect player of whom to ask the original question, because he is a two-sport star. Winston gave the following answer to that:

After that, I asked Winston whether it was fair that MLB had to pay to develop its talent, but the NFL did not. That’s when he gave the answer about scholarship money, and yes, the internet responded with some jokes about crab legs.

Earlier, Winston and Williams appeared in the writers’ room, where I jotted down many of their responses in the comment section of this post, which also contains video of Winston’s interview. Later this week, Tomahawk Nation will have its acclaimed podcast from ACC Media Days, focusing on the defending national champs.

JAMEIS WINSTON: Well, in your question you said it all: All team. We had a very successful season because of our team. I was blessed to have an opportunity to play with Kelvin, and no, I’m still not a Panthers fan, but I am a Cam Newton and KB fan. I am an Eagles fan, to answer that.

The Heisman winner will be taking the podium early on during Sunday’s festivities. Tune in live here:

He’s talking right now for around the next hour. Tune in:

The ACC Kickoff is a two-day event in which media members head to Greensboro, N.C., to talk with ACC coaches, players and other associated conference personnel. It’s not quite the four-day SEC extravaganza that just passed, but there are some high-profile names and programs that will be there.

Sunday, July 20 through Monday, July 21. It runs from 12:30 p.m. ET to 6 p.m. on Sunday and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday.