Wednesday, January 02, 2008

January Random Posts

80 comments:

  1. Florida defensive end Derrick Harvey has informed the Gators that he will forgo his senior season and enter the NFL draft.

    "I was told I am projected as a first-round pick," Harvey said. "It's time for a change. I just told my coaches."

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  2. He has been ill advised. I wish him luck, but a dumb decision. Urban Meyer prob. did not agree with the info. Harvey received, but hey, wtf. Harvey was mostly non-existent anyway. A shining game in last year's NCG and that's about it besides a lot of hype in my opinion. Cunningham far outperformed him this year.

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  3. Ingram gone too?

    A Yahoo! Sports report late Thursday night said that Gators WR Cornelius Ingram has decided to skip his last year of eligibility and turn pro.

    No word yet from Ingram, his parents or the folks at UF. But here's Ingram comment to Yahoo!

    ""It was just my time," he said. "My years with the Gators have been great. We won a championship, played some great games, and it has allowed me this chance now of reaching my goal of playing in the NFL."

    We'll post more when we know more...

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  4. Sorry for the long comment. Have to post the entire article.

    Will Hill has gotten more hype than any recruits aside from Tebow, Harvin, & RFN. Let's hope he is RFNx2.

    ORLANDO-- Josh Jarboe thought the pass was his. The post route worked all day long and this shouldn’t be any different. The cornerback was Janoris Jenkins and the safety was Will Hill. Highly regarded players in their own right, but he wasn’t scared. The spiral sailed toward the receiver, open for less time as the ball drew closer. Then the 6-3, 200-pound safety came in to knock the ball away. The next thing Jarboe saw was two pairs of arms doing the Gator chomp in his face: Janoris Jenkins on the left, Will Hill on the right.

    The duo came in ready to perform. They entered the Wide World of Sports practice field aiming to recruit players to Gainesville through their excitement and intensity. That’s why Will Hill has been such an effective recruiter for the Gators lately. He is a leader to the truest form of the word. All week, the red team’s players have gravitated towards him. That’s actually the way he was planning on it happening.

    “We were just talking about how if we’re going to do it, we’re going to do it right,” Hill said of he and Janoris Jenkins doing the Gator chomp in practice. “We planned on going on taking the field with a lot of excitement and intensity. We’ve got to show them what we’re going to do down there in Gator country.”

    You’d think that Jenkins and Hill showed up from the same high school team. The chemistry they’ve shown in the defensive backfield for the first few days of practice is nothing short of exciting for Gator fans. The reality is, Hill has only been playing with Jenkins for the length of this week. The best part of this duo lies ahead to their days in Gainesville. Hill talks to other Gator commitments on the phone, but this was his first real meeting with either of the Gator commitments in attendance.

    “I hadn’t met Janoris or Dee face-to-face before I got here,” Hill said. “I talk with Dee on the phone just about weekly though. A lot of the commitments in this class always communicate. We try to find ways to see each other and interact with one another so that the chemistry is already there when we get on campus.”

    The early part of the recruiting process sent rumors all over the nation that Hill wanted to be a Gator. When the weekend of visitors on June 17 ended by safety Dee Finley committing to the Gators, recruitniks wondered what that said for the status of Hill. He committed September 20, merely days after an official visit to the Swamp when the Gators pounded rival Tennessee. Suddenly Florida had two committed players set on playing safety for the Gators.

    It turns out that isn’t the only similarity between the two players. When they took the field in Orlando for the Under Armour All-Star practices, they each donned the number three for their respective teams. Once they are on campus in the summer, Hill says the decision on ownership of the number has already been made.
    “I’m going to get the three!” Hill said. “I’ve talked with Dee about this already. We’re going to have to compromise.”

    What is that compromise, you ask?

    “I get the number,” Hill laughed.

    If we learned anything from Tuesday’s Capital One Bowl, it’s that playing time is available on defense. Tony Joiner is the only graduating player from the Florida secondary, but the coaches are not scared to play the best players. The three current Gator commitments at the ESPN game, along with cornerback Jeremy Brown, have one common goal once the fall comes around.

    “Get on the field,” Hill stated plainly. “That’s our number one thing. (Monday) was our first practice together and it felt like we’ve played together for years, how we were double teaming and doing all this stuff to receivers. We’re a duel threat back there.”

    The highlight from Monday’s practice for the defensive back was a play made by Janoris Jenkins. He lined up inches from the face of wide receiver Josh Jarboe, ready to bump him off his route. On the snap, Jenkins threw two hands into Jarboe’s chest, and landed him on his back.

    “That was impressive,” Hill said. “We were actually competing against each other. He would tell me what he was going to do to receivers and then say “what are you going to do next?” We were out there just going at it and trying to shove receivers around. Janoris and I were competing against each other, but the receivers had no idea what was going on. All they knew was they were getting beat up.”

    Jenkins got the first big hit for the duo. All it did was made Hill sense blood in the water. The coaches have tried to reduce the amount of contact from safeties flying in on their receivers, so it looks like Hill may be forced to wait until Saturday’s game to put a hit on a ball carrier.

    “I had a great shot on a running back on Monday but we didn’t have any lowers on, so coach told me to take it easy,” Hill said. “Coach Hansen was happy I let off the hit. During the season last year, I used to kill people in practice. He saw that today and he walked over thanking me for not hitting him.”

    The safety position at Florida is now forced to live up to the standard set by Reggie Nelson. The similarities to Hill and Nelson are accurate, especially with the two players finding similar enjoyment out of knocking defensive players around.

    There was one particular time Reggie Nelson moment that sticks out to Hill, and eventually made him want to take over that position.

    “I look up to Reggie Nelson, especially after what he did to that receiver at Georgia,” Hill said. “He took his helmet off one year, and then the next year that same guy came at Reggie and dove on the ground. He didn’t want any of him. I watch Reggie now playing for my favorite NFL team (Jacksonville Jaguars), and the way he’s knocking people out is good. He’s still doing his Gator chomp. I try to mimic everything he does. I figure if I’m going to play his position, I should be like him.”

    “There are no rules or regulations at that position,” Hill said. “I just go head hunting. For me, that’s what I just love to do. I can’t wait for the coaches to unleash me.”

    The trip to Orlando is bittersweet for Hill. The hard freeze in Florida right now is common place in New Jersey. He had one message for his parents the day they left for Orlando.

    “I don’t want to go home,” Hill said. “I told my mom before we left, “I’m not going to come home, so I’ll see you later.” I told her to go ahead and send all my stuff down. I’ll be in Gainesville.”

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  5. By the way, the Army All Star game in on tomorrow at 12pm on NBC if you want to try to watch Will Hill.

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  6. We hear Coach Meyer talking about the lack of senior leadership in 2007.

    Well...

    here is the Senior Class for 2008:

    Phil Trautwein
    Jim Tartt
    Jason Watkins
    Kestahn Moore
    Louis Murphy
    Javier Estopinan ??
    Tate Casey ??
    Markus Manson ??

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  7. The following is the class of '04 followed by the number of letters they earned. A star by the name means they're still eligible for a letter next year.

    Marcus Baker 0
    Michael Brown 0
    Tate Casey 3*
    Brandon Daniel 0
    Javier Estopinan 2*
    Dawayne Grace 0
    Dane Guthrie 0
    Derrick Harvey 3
    Cornelius Ingram 3
    Kyle Jackson 4
    Tony Joiner 4
    Mike Mangold 0
    Markus Manson 3*
    Mike McIntosh 0
    Derrick McPhearson 0
    Drew Miller 4
    Jeremy Mincey 2 (JC)
    McIntosh Nicolas 0
    Eric Rutledge 4
    Brandon Siler 3
    Jim Tartt 3*
    Markell Thompson 1
    Phil Trautwein 3*
    Jason Watkins 2*

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  8. Interesting article from a Buckeye columnist saying that the current BCS favors tOSU.

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  9. #7 SI Greatest College Player of All Time

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  10. Interesting ticket costs just before the BCS game.

    StubHub:
    2 @ $834 each lower corner
    2 @ $995 each plaza sideline
    2 @ $1500 each club sideline

    Ebay:
    Club seats @ $1600 each
    Lowers @ $990 each

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  11. SEC 7-2
    Big 12 5-3
    Mountain West 4-1
    Pac Ten 4-2
    Big Eleven 3-5
    Big East 2-2
    CUSA 2-4
    ACC 2-6
    WAC 1-3
    MAC 0-3

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  12. Running backs coach Stan Drayton has "left" the Gators to join Tennessee as their running backs coach.

    In general I think this is good as he has not yet developed any RB talent, however he'll know our offense well going into Knoxville next year.

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  13. Freddy T officially named to the Pro-Bowl!!!

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  14. Rumor is TJack to replace him.

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  15. 2007 vs. 2006 Team Defense (Using AVG, due to 14 games in 06 vs. 13 in 07. Number in parentheses is national rank):

    Pts. per game allowed:

    25.5 (46) vs. 13.5 (6)

    Total Yards Allowed:

    361.85 (41) vs. 255.43 (6)

    Turnovers Gained:

    20 (Tied with 5 for 88th) vs. 29 (17)

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  16. Is that a joke? I hope it's the pre 1997 T Jack.

    That guy has no coaching credentials. What is going on?

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  17. We are now a serious contender for making the NCG, but only if our DEF wakes up.

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  18. I don't think Bobby himself would pass.

    Don't know how I missed this quote:

    "It's not physiology, it's a music course. Open book, online," football coach Bobby Bowden fumed last month during a preparation for the team's Dec. 31 Music City Bowl game. "Anybody could pass an open book test, gee whiz."

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  19. Good McCray article. I saw the "snub" when he referenced his high school during the lineup announcements. Nice to see the explanation.

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  20. Kind of small, but so is Brandon James. Kick Returner or more??

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  21. Ronnie Wilson (the lineman who fired a semi-automatic weapon into the air in downtown Gville during the Spring) has been dismissed from the team permanently. He was on track to be reinstated but apparently failed a drug test recently.

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  22. Go Jags!!!

    Freddy T.
    RFN
    PETERSON!!!
    Bobby McCray
    Jeremy Mincey

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  23. NBA Gator tid bits:

    Horford - 19 REB. the other night!!!

    Noah - suspended one game by his team for some sort of physical contact with an assistant coach at practice. The other players on the team voted to keep him out another game after that. Cassie???

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  24. Tough read on Gatorsports.com regarding Noah's suspension. I think he just wants to win so badly and dislikes the pro ranks for the same reasons that I do.

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  25. Calathes SEC freshman of the week!!

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  26. I agree with RFN 100%. However, only in that game. There was no long ball and the completions were in between linebackers. Can't diss Brady for his completion percentage, but it wasn't all that impressive. From RFN's standpoint with the lack of a deep ball, yes Brady wasn't all that.

    RFN did miss a pretty big open field tackle on their RB though.

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  27. The message boards were leaning against RFN for making those comments. They also noted his missed tackle(s).

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  28. Poor Noah, it must be killing him to be on a team like that.

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  29. Noah gets his first double-double in his first game following the suspension and his first game back in the state of Florida. After the game he is quoted as saying, I miss it. I miss Florida.

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  30. ORLANDO — It was the kind of game Tuesday night in which no one would have been surprised if the Bulls players suspended themselves.

    They certainly suspended their effort, energy and enthusiasm in a 102-88 surrender to the Orlando Magic.

    Falling to 14-22 and hardly competitive, several Bulls players on the bench late in the game seemed relatively indifferent to the result.

    Apparently it led to a dispute in the locker room as rookie Joakim Noah complained about the attitude on the bench and argued with veteran Ben Wallace. One witness said Luol Deng had to step between them to ease the tension.

    — Chicago Tribune

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  31. Very poor defense, but they hung around and came back and had a chance to win.

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  32. Joakim Noah does right by Gator fans

    THE PHILADELPHIA Gator Club, the local alumni association for the University of Florida, had 75 members in the Wachovia Center Friday night hoping to catch Florida star Joakim Noah, now with the Chicago Bulls, take on the 76ers.

    They were disappointed to see that Noah, a rookie, was benched that night after arguing with an assistant coach earlier in the day. The Sixers told club members that Noah, upon learning what happened, volunteered to personally buy tickets for the 75 club members who were at the game to come back to see the Bulls play the Sixers on March 26. Noah, who was also benched for Sunday's game after a unanimous vote for the punishment by his teammates, has earned more respect from the Gator Club for his gesture to buy their tickets.

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  33. He essentially transferred after '06.

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  34. Calathes was money in OT. Cool to see Horford and Tebow hanging out.

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  35. Calathes is pretty much good every time he is in.. Very seldom does he not do something to benefit the team when he is in.

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  36. Dont know if you guys saw but we got Hunnter lets hope we can finish this class and get Green and Jones

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  37. Saw on the news today that Channing Crowder's vehicle was involved in an accident and left at the scene. The vehicle had a gun in it. Hope he clears this up.

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  38. Sorry I am presently away from the blog playing either Rock Band, Warhawk or Unreal Tournament on my PS3.

    Leave a message and I'll reply at my earliest convenience.

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  39. Noah's numbers last night:
    14 points, 15 Rebounds in 34 minutes of PT

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  40. Where did you see that news Bruce?

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  41. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  42. Vandy could not hit a 2-ft jumper in the 1st half to save their lives. Gators played great team ball. Calathes was usual self. 3 RBS away from a triple double again. That kid will become the 2nd player in Gator history to get a triple double. Werner played with great confidence as was not too far from a triple double himself! Gators hammered them and were up like 34-6 early in the 1st. They should be ranked when the polls come out this week.

    Go Gators!!!!

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  43. Speights and Hodge also looked good. As all 5 starters were in double figures.

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  44. AP
    20. Florida 18-3 374

    ESPN/USA TODAY
    19. Florida 18-3 201

    Lets hope it doesnt get to their heads again and they lose.

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  45. Yeah... they don't play during the week... a long layoff might not be a good thing for such a young team.

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  46. Nice link James.

    Gaffney is coming on strong for them.

    C. Jackson is just their kick returner.

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  47. AAFL Gainesville Team Roster



    2008 Draft - Florida
    Name Pos College Hgt Wgt
    Bailey, Cory DBC Florida 5117 190
    Beard, Kevin WR Miami 6010 195
    Capers, Tavaris WR Central Florida 5087 161
    Cohens, Willie DLE Florida 6025 286
    Crum, Brian LB Florida 6032 222
    Davis, Judd K Florida 6010 190
    Doering, Chris WR Florida 6045 197
    Glasford, Travis RB Western Illinois 5090 192
    Gurley, Sheddrick DLT Florida 6030 308
    Hall, Kyler DBS Florida State 6012 203
    Hardmon, Bam LB Florida 6010 238
    Harris, Travis LB Florida 6020 241
    Hawkins, Chris DBC Marshall 5100 183
    Howard, Charles DLE Florida State 6030 277
    Hunter, Pete DBS Virginia Union 6025 210
    Jackson, Willie WR Florida 6010 205
    Johnson, Tyronn DLT Florida A&M 6007 335
    Jones, Maurice LB South Florida 6012 238
    Jones, Victor TE Edward Waters College 6042 236
    Kobel, Craig LB South Florida 6020 250
    Kresser, Eric QB Marshall 6030 230
    Kunz, Bradley OLT Miami 6065 326
    Lamar, Johnny DBC Florida 5110 189
    Leach, Matt P Florida 6020 190
    Leak, Chris QB Florida 6000 207
    Lemon, James (JR) RB Stanford 6020 250
    McGriff, Travis WR Florida 5080 185
    McKenzie, Norval RB Vanderbilt 5110 210
    McKinney, Cory TE Florida International 6030 236
    Moore, Freddie OLT Florida A&M 6060 319
    Moore, Ryan WR Miami 6027 219
    Patterson, Elton DLE Central Florida 6025 290
    Reese, Mario LB Minnesota 6030 233
    Rissler, Steve OLG Florida 6032 287
    Schall, Jon OLC Pittsburgh 6040 290
    Small, OJ TE Florida 6017 242
    Smith, Leroy DBC Florida State 5110 186
    Smith, Thomas DLE Pittsburgh 6040 302
    Tella, Tony OLT Miami 6045 293
    Terry, Jerrell DBS Florida Atlantic 6000 203
    Walker, Carl LB Miami 6030 201
    Warrick, Peter WR Florida State 5110 203
    Weary, Fred DBC Florida 5105 187
    Weaver, Jarrell DBS Miami 6030 201
    Williams, Elijah RB Florida 5107 189
    Williams, Keith DBC Florida A&M 5090 183
    Wilson, John OLT Penn State 6080 305
    Wollschlager, Anthony OLC Miami 6050 280
    Wright, Alton DLE Miami 6045 250
    Zedalis, Zac OLG Florida 6030 237

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  48. Corey Bailey? Hm.

    I'm excited about Willie Jackson, Fred Weary, and Elijah Williams!

    peter warrick was such a stud in that NC game with VaTech. How did he not make it in the nfl?

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  49. There were no Dillards in Seattle.

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  50. This league shall be like the XFL, 1 and done.

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  51. I think this league has a chance since they are gearing it towards college football fans. They may have to come down on the ticket prices though.

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  52. I agree with you Bruce. I think a lot of college football fans will follow it. I sure will. I also think that a lot of those guys will play for the love of the game, not big salaries. Although the salaries would be interesting.

    What are the ticket prices?

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  53. They range from 25 to 75 a game. I agree with Bruce over priced. I guess that is how they are funding there 50,000 salaries though. 55 will get you seats where I sit. Sec 51

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  54. Where can you sit for $25?

    Where did you get that salary quote?

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  55. This is Chris Berman doing his hungry Spinosa imitation.

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