A couple of vids

Special Teams and Defense Video. Gives me chills

(No Field Goals made included)

And the Mayor of Hit City... Reggie Nelson

I tried to hold out hope.

It looks like the Gators have a zero percent chance to make it to the national championship game. At best it looks like the number three spot in the BCS is the most achievable goal. Michigan was sitting pretty at number two a couple of weeks ago, but with their season over, both USC and Florida I think will jump them before bowl games start.

USC first has to get by a (6-5) UCLA who looks to have little upset potential. It's more likely UCLA finishes with a losing record going against USC and FSU as their final 2 games.

Florida has to win the SEC Championship against a steaming angry Arkansas team with a couple of NFL running backs. Look for Florida to max protect the run and force their QB Dick to throw the ball. IF UF loses, there is still a decent chance Florida makes it to a BCS bowl game. Arkansas would be in the Sugar Bowl. LSU may also have a chance with only two losses... BUT the Gators beat them head to head, have more wins, won their division and made it to the SEC Championship game.

Barring an upset by UCLA, it looks like if the Gators win out, be content going to the Sugar Bowl and kicking the life out of whoever the BCS matches us up against. (I hope it's Notre Dame.)

Go Gators! Beat Arkansas! I will be in ATL this weekend, not for the game, but for a conference. And I WILL be cheering you on.

After the big weekend for the Gators...

The Good
The Gators continue to win in football. It seems like the gators play up to the competition or play down to the competition. I'll take 21-14 over an out of conference rival. Chris leak's senior leadership pulled us through the game. When our offensive coordinator, Dan Mullen finally decided to let Leak throw the ball we dove the field. Sometimes Mullen should just use traditional formations, they work too.

Percy Harvin and Andre Caldwell were also different makers. Both have the same speed and break away skills. They fit the same mold. Good to hear Percy Harvin is okay after that hit. Did anyone see the dirty hit on Jarvis Moss' legs? That could have been bad, I'm glad he wasn't affected.

Percy also looked good in Gus Malzahn's wildcat formation. Straight shot right to the endzone.

The Bad
Although the Gator basketball team didn't beat Kansas, we fought hard. Sending it into overtime was a miracle in itself. With all the turnovers and sloppy play, two miracles could not happen in one night.

Gators go to work. You're not invincible. You now know what to work on. Lets see improvement in the next couple games.


The ugly
First off, Notre Dame looked bad. That team just sucks. Thanks Notre Dame, can't win any big games. I'm sure you will lose your bowl game. Gator fans are hating you right now.

The Taurean Green and Corey Brewer turnovers in the final seconds also were ugly. Those killed the team and the fans watching. As bad as some of your plays were you still had a chance to win. I hope this loss stings. Use this as motivation when tough competition comes up in the future.

Random Notes
- Refs need to see a block when it's a block and not call a foul for every slight tap by the Gator big men. Some of the "fouls" were ridiculous. The refs sure knew how to hurt the Gators in that pro-Kansas environment. Kansas come on down to the O'Dome and see what happens.

- Green and Lee also had some pretty threes, but no more air balls by the defending national champions!

My thoughts on how the BCS looks

On a Playoff System -
Everyone has beaten the who scheduled who, who lost to who and who would lose to who arguments to death. No one gets anywhere. That is why CFB needs some sort of playoff. No one knows who could beat Michigan because not everyone plays Michigan, same can be said for Ohio State. There has to be some sort of playoff system. A head to head system.

On the National Championship teams-
I agree with Urb:
Michigan should not get two chances. No one else does. You lose. You drop.

"I think that'd be unfair to Ohio State, and I think it'd be unfair to the country," Meyer said. "I just don't believe that's the right thing to do. You're going to tell Ohio State they have to go beat the same team twice, which is extremely difficult, and you're going to tell teams that played their hearts out [that they can't play for the national title] ... they [Michigan] had their chances. Ohio State is No. 1, someone has a chance to go get No. 1.

"If that [rematch] does happen, it's over. All the presidents need to get together immediately and put together a playoff system, I mean like now, January, or whenever to get that done."

Meyer is upset because he watched ESPN on Saturday night and heard the analysts and experts lobbying for a rematch. The teams that play in the BCS title game on Jan. 8 in Glendale, Ariz., should be determined on the field, and not by a talking head, Meyer said.

"I've seen the lobbying begin," he said. "I start seeing these nationwide polls, sportswriters, fans, media, everybody's going to get their hands on this thing, and I don't know how it's ... I would say that if it were up to the 117 Division I-A coaches, certainly it would not be a rematch."

RIGHT ON!
THAT WOULD EFFECTIVELY MEAN SATURDAY'S GAME BETWEEN OSU AND MICHIGAN MEANT NOTHING! NO DROPS IN POLLS. LETS JUST GIVE THOSE TEAMS A REMATCH. DON'T LET ANY OTHER SCHOOLS HAVE A CHANCE. MAKE OHIO STATE BEAT THE SAME TEAM TWICE IN ORDER TO WIN THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WHILE MICHIGAN WOULD ONLY HAVE BEAT OSU ONCE!

On The Most Recent BCS polls-
I believe USC and Florida are still favored to play OSU in the championship
Here are what the BCS Standings look like:
1. Ohio State
2. Michigan
3. USC
4. Florida
5. Notre Dame
6. Arkansas
7. West Virginia
8. Wisconsin
9. Louisville
10. LSU

I will not discuss strength of schedule because I believe Florida would win hands down. All the pundits would agree as well, because at the beginning of this year some were claiming our schedule may be the toughest ever created. I kid you not.

Onto the top spots!
1.Ohio State is a lock because they haven't lost. But I think they are beatable. Can someone get a chance at them?

2. The fight for number TWO

- Michigan had their chance. In order for them to get a rematch USC, Arkansas and Florida would all have to lose. It does not really matter what Notre Dame does because they have already lost to Michigan.

- USC has a legitimate argument particularly with their win over Arky. But that was the first game of the year, and a whole different story. USC must win out convincingly and hope all the teams they have beaten keep winning to keep their strength of schedule high. With that being said, I think a case can be made for UF or USC, if both win out. (SEC already has 9 bowl eligible teams.)

On a side note, I think USC's wins look less meaningful and one loss look more meaningful when their winners start losing and their one loss keeps losing. Oregon State really is a bad team. And Nebraska just isn't very good either.

- Florida, my school of study, is of course my choice for the National Champ game. Only if they win their last two games of the season though. I think both USC and Florida jump Michigan because we keep playing quality opponents and Michigan's season filled with only three quality opponents all year stopped on Saturday.

Florida has the schedule to compete with anyone. We lost away to a BCS top 15 team by three points and had piped in electronic music, home-cooked refs and the worst call in officiating this year go against us. We dominated the first half, gave up some yards in the second. Our defense did not allow a touchdown. And for good measure UF threw the ball away, on the last play, trying to find a way to the endzone. Who would have thought that play would decide if we would be in the MNC game this year? Auburn is a darn good team, but we shoulda, coulda, woulda won.

Florida still plays FSU, the most vicious rivalry in CFB with Bowden, the winningest coach in CFB. And the SEC Champ game, the hardest conference championship game in the country.

-Arkansas looks to be a whole different team after that first game they laid a turd at home. McFadden and Jones are running away from the competition. They have a go-to receiver in Monk. And Casey Dick looks to be settled in as their QB. Take a look at their schedule and you'll see more impressive wins then Michigan, OSU and especially Notre Dame. That being said I still hope we beat those guys in Atlanta.

- Notre Dame is a long shot and although Notre Dame is likely better than their game against Michigan, it doesn't look to good for them. Their schedule really is embarrassing. We may have a 1-AA team this year but you have the service academies every year. That's pretty much your conference. And your championship trophy is the Commander-in-Chief award. There is a reason those teams suck and you beat them every year.(Make no mistake it's not a rivalry.) They are busy protecting the good ol' U.S. from whatever the threat is this week. But you keep scheduling them to play football?

To the benefit of Notre Dame, Arkansas is likely in the same boat as them. Both lost big to teams your competing against for the number two spot. That makes it real tough for you to jump them. But this weekend I am Notre Dame's biggest fan. If you win who knows how far you move up? ( And conveniently, how far UF moves up..if they beat FSU.)


Alas
Go Gators! Beat FSU and Arkansas!
Only Gators get out of the BCS alive!

Freshmen players look great

Here is the list of players to watch out for the future-
(And I'm sure I'm missing some.)

Tim Tebow - qb
Percy Harvin - wr
Jarred Fayson - wr/qb/pr
Brandon James - rb/pr
Riley Cooper- wr
Mon Williams - rb
Brandon Spikes- lb
Brandon Antwine - dt
Dustin Doe- lb

I know we didn't hear much from the defense. But you did your job. 0 points! Some guys I know who will be making a name for themselves... Lawrence Marsh, Wondy Pierre-Louis, Markihe Anderson.

And for all the other young players, it's only a matter of time before they get their chance. It's not a matter of "if" they have a break out performance, it's a matter of "when." With last years recruiting class and the one coming in this year, the team looks loaded!

Is it Possible?

One of Florida's most hated rivals to get Spurrier?

Spurrier Could Be Next Miami Head Coach
Sources say coach ready to leave South Carolina

Nov. 19, 2006

By Brian Curtis
According to sources late Saturday, South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier will likely be named the next head coach at Miami. Spurrier, who won a national championship at Florida, is in his second season with the Gamecocks with a 13-10 overall record, including 6-5 in 2006. The coach is in the second year of a seven-year contract.

Rumor, fiction, truth?

UF, College football Notebook

UF Injuries
Looks like Jarvis Moss, Earl Everett, and Brandon Siler might all be out for next weeks game. Good thing next week's game is against division the 1-AA Catamounts of Western Carolina. It's called a recovery game.

New Playmakers
Instead, expect to see Cornelius Ingram and Percy Harvin get more carries next week. Highly-recruited Brandon Spikes will likely make his first collegiate start at middle linebacker.

In Other News
Jeff Bowden is gone. It must make Seminole fans feel great knowing their crutch offensive coordinator has resigned following this years football season.

"I believe in my heart that for Bobby Bowden this is the decision that I need to make," Jeff Bowden said. "I could not be happier that I had this opportunity. But it's just time for me to move on."

Cock Blocked...3 times!

I think everyone who knows Spurrier, the SEC or the gator team in general, knew this was going to be close. I'm sure all the gators wanted to win big, for style points, but that's not our team this year.

During certain parts of the game last night, I honestly felt like we were going to lose. And that SC's QB Blake Mitchell was better than Chris Leak. I also feel like South Carolina is on the verge of being a dominant team. Yes they have 5 losses, but not by much.

South Carolina lost to-
Auburn 24-17
Tennessee 31-24
Arkansas 26-20
Florida 17-16

They lost handidly to a Georgia team, that was more of a fluke on both parts teams.

On to the game.
I think it's time to go for a more traditional offense. Use playmakers in traditional roles and the offense will produce. Use Deshawn Wynn more, he is producing. Don't have a dumb call or penalty, and the offense can really move.

Props to the cock-blockers RayMac and J.Moss (had 2 blocks)

Here it is...I was maybe 25 ft from where this video was taken. It was loud!


On to other one loss teams. They all have had close wins, not just Florida!

Southern Cal
-lost to unranked Oregon State
-28-22 W v. Wash St
-26-20 W v. Wash
-28-21 W v. Ariz St

Arkansas
-lost big to USC
-21-19 W v. Vandy
-24-23 W v. Bama
-26-20 W v. South Carolina

Notre Dame
-lost big at home v. Mich
-14-10 W v. GT
-40-37 W v. Mich St
-20-17 W v. UCLA

For the rest of the schedule
-Next week gives our players a chance to heal and recover from SEC beatings.
-Then it's onto the instate rival FSU. Always tough.
-Afterwards, it's the SEC championship against Arkansas. The defense must be on fire.
- Finally, we are going bowling!

A Twisted Road Back to the Top

So the stage has been set.
Louisville takes down West Virginia.
Rutgers takes down Louisville.
Gators fans should be ecstatic.

This weeks BCS Poll look like this-

1. Ohio State -(Plays Michigan, one of top two teams must lose)
2. Michigan - (Plays Ohio State, one of top two teams must lose)
3. Louisville- (Lost to Rutgers, drops out of National title contention)
4. Florida - (Must keep winning, get that offense going!)

The Gators are poised to move into the number two position in the BCS Poll by seasons end... as long as we keep winning.

The offense is struggling, particularly Leak's interceptions, the offensive line injuries/inexperience and the inability to use the loads of talent. All I can do is hope the football gods shine down on us the last games of the season, and our coaches figure out whatever needs to be figured out.

The defense is still rock solid, even after losing Marcus Thomas. He was a beast in the trenches. Brandon Siler, our top linebacker, has a tweaked knee. But I hope he is ready for the South Carolina game. We need all our playmakers from here on out.

The Rest of the UF season is not easy (except for one game). The brutal schedule continues. The pain/brutality these players go through every week is tremendous.

UF Remaining Schedule

*November 11 South Carolina - Spurrier is a conniving couching genius
*November 18 Western Carolina- Time to rest up, try new plays, Tebow
*November 25 at Florida State- Back on track w/ QB Xavier Lee. (Rivals!)
*SEC Championship Game (Arkansas?, Auburn?)- A top BCS caliber opponent
*Bowl Game (Ohio State?, BCS bowl?)- Best of the best


Keep winning Gators, you control your own destiny. Bring it the last 5 games. Let's see who the real playmakers are.

The U has Hit Rock Bottom

Miami's Season in a Nutshell
July 21, 2006
Willie Cooper, was shot in the buttocks when confronted in his yard by an unidentified assailant in an early morning incident. In self- defense, Brandon Meriweather got his own gun and returned fire at the attacker.

October 14, 2006
After an all-out brawl between Miami and FIU, officials from both schools and their conferences announced the suspension of 31 players – 13 from the Hurricanes, and 18 from FIU.

Several players from both sides appeared to throw punches. Brandon Meriweather was seen attempting to stomp on FIU players, while an injured Golden Panther swung a crutch menacingly at several Miami players.

Nov. 7, 2006
Slain University of Miami football player Bryan Pata suffered multiple gunshot wounds in the hallway of his gated Kendall apartment complex, at least one of which was to the back of the head at close range.

Pata had several guns he kept in a closet in his apartment he explained in a recent interview to the Miami Herald reported.

September 4 to November 23
With losses already to Florida State, Louisville, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech, this has to be one of the most dissappointing seasons at Miami.

There may be more losses to come, Boston College looks to have a legitimate football team. This may not be too surprising though, considering Miami has not won a single conference championship since moving to the ACC. The ACC is also largely considered to be the weakest BCS conference, only ahead of the Big East.

I'm going to state the obvious, the University of Miami is a flat out dangerous place to be. Miami has had some great teams in the past, with some exceptional players, but this is getting crazy, downright deadly. There needs to be a major overhaul of the Miami program. There shouldn't be a bowl game for this team. There should be a major police presence at the University. Guns seem to be commonplace for football players lately. It is evident the players are not doing a very good job of protecting/policing themselves.

As for the future of this program, what recruit would want to go there? What parents would allow their children to play for a team where death might be part of their future?

Latest Shootings, Stabbings and other law breaking activities in college football

1. University of Miami defensive end Bryan Pata was shot and killed Tuesday night, shortly after leaving the practice field, school officials said.

Rest In Peace Bryan Pata

You had NFl aspirations and you were a tough player. This should have never happened.

2.Three Tennessee players were suspended Monday following their arrests for disorderly conduct and underage drinking at a nightclub after the Vols' loss to LSU.

It was starting tailback Arian Foster, safety Antonio Wardlow and fullback David Holbert, all 20 years old. Expect heavy punishment? HA! Fulmer suspended Foster for the first half of Saturday’s matchup against Arkansas, and Holbert for the game. Wardlow will not play against the 11th-ranked Razorbacks and also is suspended for Tennessee’s game against Vanderbilt on Nov. 18.

3.Wide receiver Nyan Boateng was stabbed by a female student over the weekend after the two had an argument, according to police.

Boateng was likely out for the season after having knee surgery anyway, but he was removed from the team until he can clear his name.


What's the deal? Is there no control of players in college football? Parents are not around, it's not the coaches job and maybe players may feel they're above the law. I guess the buck might stop at a prison jail cell?

OTHER NOTEWORTHY ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES EARLIER THIS YEAR

-Northern Colorado punter Mitch Cozad stabbed Bears starting punter Rafael Mendoza in the back of his right thigh in an apartment parking lot.

He was arrested, kicked off the football team and expelled from the university.

-Oklahoma's Rhett Bomar was kicked off the Sooners football team. The school said in a statement that the players violated NCAA rules by working at a private business and taking "payment over an extended period of time in excess of time actually worked."

Bomar apparently filed for 40-hour work weeks at a Norman, Okla., auto dealership, making up to $18,000, when he only worked 5 hours a week, Schad reported.

The QB got the boot.

Wisconsin finds a loophole in new rules

Every college football fan should be happy Wisconsin Head Coach Bret Bielema exposed the stupidity of the new speed-it-up clock rules.

Bielema took advantage of a new NCAA rule that calls for the clock to start when the ball is kicked rather than when it is caught. The aim of the change was to shorten the length of the game, but Bielema used it to milk the clock of 19 seconds and deny Penn State any chance of scoring in the half's waning moments.

He said Monday that while he doesn't necessarily agree with the rule, "I knew the rule and wanted to maximize it. ... It worked exactly as we envisioned it. It's something we practice. My guess is, with the attention we've received, there may be an amendment."



Those Wisconsin beer-loving Cheeseheads sure know their football. Props to the head coach for finding a perfectly legitimate way to call out the new clock rules on National television. Sorry Mr. Joe Paterno it had to be against your team. Also, that was some hit you took from your own player. I hope the recovery is swift.

Florida receives blow to defense, Marcus Thomas kicked off team

Marcus Thomas writes to the Gator Nation, straight from Gator Country.....

Dear Gator Nation:

First off, I would like to thank the Gator fans for making the last 3-1/2 years of my life very memorable. Gator fans are the best in the world, and are a main reason why I chose Florida over all other colleges that recruited me. There is no better feeling than running out the tunnel in The Swamp or getting a sack in front of 90,000 fans. Secondly, I'd like to thank the coaching staff, especially Coach Mattison and Coach Strong, who are not only great coaches but great people.

I would like to take this time to apologize to the fans, coaches, and my teammates for letting them down. I loved being a Gator and I love playing football, even through pain and never missing a start due to injury. I made a bad decision at a party this past off-season. It was the first time I had been in any kind of trouble in my life and I deserved to be suspended the first game of the season. It was difficult for me to watch the opening game from the sidelines, but I was excited to help my team beat Tennessee in Knoxville, which was a first for us seniors.

When I thought my bad decision was behind me, I was given a longer suspension. It was frustrating to be told I was going to miss that many games of the season. It was not the way I saw my senior year going down when I chose to come back. Many people passed judgment on me and it was hard going from seeing your name in the paper and on the news for three years for great things, then suddenly everyone's talking about how bad you are. One of the disadvantages of being a football player in the spotlight is that one mistake is seen by everyone.

I apologize most of all to the kids who look up to me and promise to be a better role model in the future. Soon after, my name was cleared and my suspension was lifted. At drug rehab, I felt like I didn't belong. I knew my mistake was months behind me so I didn't see the point. I realize now that I was wrong and I should have done everything the coaches asked me to do no matter what I thought. That's what a good football player does. I'm also aware that I've affected my draft status but me and "Scoop" will work even harder at the next level to make up for it. Once again I am truly sorry for what has happened and I blame no one but myself. I'm now the #1 Gator fan in the world and hope my boys can ride out of Atlanta with a ring.

Sincerely,
Marcus Thomas



On behalf of the Gator Nation... we are pissed at you. You have so much talent and the University of Florida was making YOU a possible first rounder. Why screw it up? Your defensive skills were keeping us in all the games. You know the offensive issues going on the other side of the ball.

Your removal and the offensive slump may be what does the gators in this season. So that loss would fall on your shoulders, even if you're off the team.

I'm not your teammate, but if I was, I would likely feel let down, shafted, bamboozled. All you had to do was follow the rules for a year and you would have been off to the NFL. But you couldn't even do that, not even for your bros on the team.



All the luck to you in the NFL. Remember what school got you there.

Big East Needs Big Help on Defense

In a game showcasing two of the top 5 teams in the country, the schools' defenses looked decidingly mediocre. The stat of the game according to ESPN, was the combined total yards maxing out at 1,008. The Cardinals and Mountaineers set a Big East record by combining for those 1,008 total yards.

For that to happen in todays age of shortened clock time and shortened games, that had to of meant there was nearly no defense. Top 5 teams have defense. Some defense of some sort. These teams would have done just as well not fielding a DEFENSE.

WV Louisville
1st Downs 24 22
Total Yards 540 468
Passing 222 354
Rushing 318 114
Penalties 7-68 4-40
3rd Down Conversions 4-9 4-10
4th Down Conversions 0-1 0-0
Turnovers 3 1
Possession 32:08 27:52

look at the stats. not impressive

Tim Tebow is Chuck Norris-The Great White Hope

Let's see Chris Leak and Tebow throw some unbelievable passes against Vandy this weekend.

Derrick Harvey needs more pub

The former basketball player, turned defensive specialist, started playing football in his junior year of high school.

"On a Florida defense with a wealth of talent up front, Harvey has become one of the Gators' biggest playmakers. Even though he's started only one game, he's started playing at an All-SEC level. He leads the conference in sacks with seven and he's forced one fumble and recovered two. In the win over Georgia last Saturday, he had a sack and caused the fumble that defensive lineman Ray McDonald returned for a touchdown on the first offensive play of the second half."

With some of our big-name defensive players likely leaving next year, it's good to see the next group of defensive stoppers already making a name for themselves. Harvey is one of them. he is only 250 pds but he is holding his own against opposing big uglies.

"He is playing his technique well," co-defensive coordinator Greg Mattison said. "He is not a real big kid. He is 250 pounds and he is playing over 300-pound offensive tackles. He has held his own in there, and he has really given us a bonus in the run."


Looks like this playmaker will cause opposing offenses problems from here on out.