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The league said there was no basis for their personal foul call in a recent game. From AP-
The Southeastern Conference has suspended officials from last weekend’s Arkansas-Florida game after the crew was involved in its second controversial call of the year.Referee Marc Curles’ crew called a personal foul on Arkansas defensive lineman Malcolm Sheppard in the fourth quarter as the Gators were rallying for a 23-20 victory. The league said there was no video evidence to support the call.
The same group of officials called the LSU-Georgia game earlier this month, which included a late unsportsmanlike conduct penalty the league said shouldn’t have been called.
“A series of calls that have occurred during the last several weeks have not been to the standard that we expect from our officiating crews,” SEC commissioner Mike Slive said Wednesday. “I believe our officiating program is the best in the country. However, there are times when these actions must be taken.”
SEC associate commissioner Charles Bloom said this is the first time the league has publicly suspended a football crew like this.
The SEC says the crew will be removed from its next scheduled assignment Oct. 31 and will not be assigned to officiate as a crew until Nov. 14.
Conference officials went on to say this will affect referee bowl assignments. I sincerely hope it does. This crew shouldn’t be given extra opportunities to screw up.
He took the Gators to three SEC Championships and was even a assistant football coach. RIP.
Dave Fuller, the winningest baseball coach in University of Florida history, has died. He was 94.
Fuller died Tuesday at North Florida Regional Hospital in Gainesville.
Fuller guided the Florida baseball program from 1948 to 1975, compiling a 557-354-6 record and winning three Southeastern Conference championships (1952, 1956, 1962).
He was also a member of the football staff for 29 years (1948-76), the longest run of any assistant coach in school history. Fuller served in many capacities as head freshman coach, varsity assistant, head scout and a key recruiter under head coaches Bob Woodruff, Ray Graves and Doug Dickey.
She once was an assistant coach at Duke and Kent State. From AP-
Florida hired Dowling as its golf coach Monday, giving the former “Big Break” contestant her first head coaching job.
Dowling replaces Jill Briles-Hinton, who resigned last month after the Gators finished 16th in the NCAA East regional played in Gainesville.
Dowling spent one year as an assistant at Duke and two seasons as an assistant at Kent State. She also played professionally for almost three years before entering the coaching ranks. From 2003 to 2005, she competed on the Futures Tour and on the Canadian Women’s Tour.
The Bradford, Ontario, native also participated in the Golf Channel’s reality TV series “Big Break” in 2005.
I love the sport of golf, but have never the Big Break. In fact, I don’t watch any reality shows.
As for college golf in general, on the women’s side fewer top golfers are playing collegiate ball before trying their luck at the LPGA. In fact, the only American LPGA golfer since 1998 who was 23 or younger and went to college for four years before winning their first event, is naturalized US citizen Candie Kung. LPGA players are winning at younger ages, but many if not most skipped playing college ball.
The highest* pick of the draft.
ESPN writes- Harvin possess rare and dynamic open-field capabilities. He runs with a low center of gravity, which allows to get in and out of his cuts effortlessly. He also shows an elite burst and has the acceleration to take it the distance. Although Harvin will need some tweaking with his route-running his overall athleticism is too much to pass up at this point.
*- Harvin tested positive for marijuana recently.
No I’m not talking about some middle aged man propelling a ball at some objects at the end of a lane, but the games that climax every college football season. Bowl season officially starts this Saturday, here are the matchups for all the college football fanatics out there.
Dec 20
Eaglebank Bowl- Wake Forest vs Navy
New Mexico Bowl- Colorado State vs Fresno St
MAGICJACK ST. PETERSBURG BOWL- Memphis vs. South Florida
PIONEER LAS VEGAS BOWL- Brigham Young vs Arizona
Dec 21
R+L CARRIERS NEW ORLEANS BOWL- Southern Miss vs. Troy
Dec 23
SAN DIEGO COUNTY CREDIT UNION POINSETTIA BOWL- Boise St vs TCU
Dec 24
SHERATON HAWAII BOWL- Hawaii vs Notre Dame
Dec 26
MOTOR CITY BOWL- Florida Atlantic vs. Central Michigan
Saturday, December 27
MEINEKE CAR CARE BOWL- West Virginia vs. North Carolina
Champs Sports Bowl- Wisconsin vs. Florida State
Emerald Bowl- Miami (FL) vs. California
December 28
Independence Bowl- Northern Illinois vs. Louisiana Tech
PAPAJOHNS.COM BOWL- North Carolina State vs. Rutgers
Valero Alamo Bowl- Missouri vs. No. 23 Northwestern
Tuesday, December 30
ROADY’S HUMANITARIAN BOWL- Maryland vs. Nevada
PACIFIC LIFE HOLIDAY BOWL- Oklahoma State vs. No. 17 Oregon
Texas Bowl- Western Michigan vs. Rice
Wednesday, December 31
BELL HELICOPTER ARMED FORCES BOWL- Houston vs. Air Force
Sun Bowl- Oregon State vs. Pittsburgh
GAYLORD HOTELS MUSIC CITY BOWL- Boston College vs. Vanderbilt
Insight Bowl- Kansas vs. Minnesota
CHICK-FIL-A BOWL- LSU vs. Georgia Tech
Thursday, January 1
OUTBACK BOWL- South Carolina vs. Iowa
CAPITAL ONE BOWL- Georgia vs. Michigan State
Gator Bowl- Nebraska vs. Clemson
Rose Bowl- Penn State vs. USC
Fedex Orange Bowl- Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech
Friday, January 2
Cotton Bowl- Mississippi vs. Texas Tech
AUTOZONE LIBERTY BOWL- Kentucky vs. East Carolina
ALLSTATE SUGAR BOWL- Utah vs. Alabama
January 3
INTERNATIONAL BOWL- Buffalo vs. Connecticut
January 5
TOSTITOS FIESTA BOWL- Ohio State vs. Texas
January 6
GMAC Bowl- Ball State vs. Tulsa*
January 8
FEDEX BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME- Florida vs. Oklahoma
That’s 34 games, 68 schools spread over a period of 20 days for those of you keeping score at home. An ample supply of college football for any fanatics out there.
A few notes
*- There are a few bowl games remaining without corporate names in their title. Gator, Sun, Texas, Independence. Were these games unable to find sponsors?
*- Will Oklahoma St. and Oregon combine for 70 pts or more in the Holiday Bowl? This annually has been of the most high scoring affairs.
*- Oh how has the Orange Bowl dropped. A game that featured early triumphs of Joe Paterno led Penn State, Nebraska and Oklahoma in their glory days, the first major bowl appearance of Florida State, and the all time classic 84 battle between Nebraska and Miami, has Cincinnati and Virginia Tech playing this year. I’m sure they are talented football teams, but how many people are drooling to see them play in a prime-time network slot?
*- Arizona and BYU meet in a bowl 30 years after the former left the WAC conference for the higher profile Pac Eight(Now Ten, Arizona State joined also)
*- Vanderbilt makes a rare bowl appearance. Congratulations to Commodore fans, but this is a sign of how bowls are grown way out of proportion. 6-6 college teams get bids. When I was growing up I could remember Florida State going without a bowl in 1978 even though they finished the season 8-3.
It is my humble opinion that bowl season has gotten out of hand. Someone may say what’s the big deal? If someone wants to start a bowl game and there are two schools willing to play in it, does their records matter. A good football isn’t only a contest between stars at big name schools.
All true, but how much public money is spent on these affairs? Many of the teams are state universities who get funded by taxpayers. Then there is the game itself where police have to be taken from other tasks to work the day or night of the game or paid over-time.
With the economic downturn right now, you have to wonder if there will be less bowls in the near future. That would depend on how long a deal a corporate sponsor signed on for. I wonder how many fans of some schools plan to make a bowl trip. Are there 1,000 or more FAU Owls willing to journey from Florida to Michigan in December to watch the team play? Even if I were a Owl fan and had money, I’d stay home.
Enjoy the games.
Florida will play Oklahoma for the National Championship. From ESPN-
Florida football coach Urban Meyer said Tuesday that offensive coordinator Dan Mullen will stay on to coach in the Bowl Championship Series title game Jan. 8 against Oklahoma, despite taking the head coaching job at Mississippi State last week.
“The goal is to win the game, and I think right now, unless something changes, it looks like that’s going to happen,” Meyer said. “Is that the best chance of us winning that game, with the mechanics of the game the way we do them? Probably yes. So right now I’d say the plan is he’ll be up in the press box.”
At the Heisman Trophy ceremony Saturday night, Gators quarterback Tim Tebow said it was unlikely Mullen would call the offensive plays against the Sooners. Tebow suggested that Florida could go with a play-calling-by-committee approach in the title game.
Mullen was still in Mississippi and not planning to return to Gainesville until after Christmas, Meyer said. The Gators held their first bowl practice Tuesday, but with final exams scheduled all week, it was mostly conditioning drills. Meyer said detailed game-plan preparations for No. 2 Oklahoma won’t begin until after Christmas.
I never understood Tebow’s Saturday statement from the beginning. The only reason not to let Mullen play call, is because if players and coaches didn’t trust him. If that was true, why wouldn’t Florida tell Mullen his services weren’t needed for the BCS Championship game?
The University of Florida quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner sure does interesting things when away from school.
During spring break, Tebow added a new facet to his fame. In an impoverished village outside General Santos City in the Philippines, Tebow helped circumcise impoverished children.
On the Friday of a weeklong trip to the orphanage his father’s ministry runs in Southeast Asia, Tebow assisted with the care of locals who had walked miles to the temporary clinic that the ministry helped organize. More than 250 people underwent medical and dental procedures, some of them from “Dr. Tebow,” who has no formal surgical training.
“The first time, it was nerve-racking,” he said. “Hands were shaking a little bit. I mean, I’m cutting somebody. You can’t do those kinds of things in the United States. But those people really needed the surgeries. We needed to help them.”
Tebow didn’t plan on operating that day in the Philippines — his job was to preach to the hundreds of people before they had teeth pulled or cysts removed. But as the day rolled on, he grew curious about the three Filipino doctors and his friend, UF graduate and aspiring doctor Richard “R.B.” Moleno, in the bus-sized vehicle that served as a mobile hospital.
Tebow started as a helper and gofer, holding tools and running errands for the medics. By afternoon, he was asking questions and looking for more active ways to help. And by the end of an exhausting day, he was wearing gloves and a mask, wielding surgical scissors, finishing off stitches with a snip.
The patients were too young to ask Tebow his medical background. What would the parents say if they knew about his other sideline, pardon the pun? Free medical care is free medical care I guess.
 The Jacksonville Jaguars moved up from the 26th spot via a trade with the Baltimore Ravens almost the instant that the last pick was made. For whatever reason, though, they’re taking their sweet time making a pick. Are they trying to trade down?
The Jags take Florida DE Derrick Harvey, which everyone seems to think is a huge reach.
Scouts, Inc.: 11th
Strengths: Is tall and well built with very long arms (35.4 inches) and big hands (9.3 inches). Has a quick first step for his size and can beat most blocker to the point of attack. He hugs the rail tightly as a pass rusher and wastes very little motion getting to the quarterback. Runs line stunts well and flashes an effective rip move when shoots inside. Changes directions well, flashes an effective spin move and can set tackles up to the outside before redirecting inside. Has a mean streak and flashes the ability to deliver the big hit when gets to the quarterback. Keeps head up, times jumps well and can get hands on passes when doesn’t get to the quarterback. Shows good awareness and locates the ball quickly. Moves well laterally and does a nice job of scraping down the line of scrimmage. Stays home when plays goes away from him and generally does a nice job of setting the edge when opponents attack the perimeter to his side. Takes sound pursuit angles, closes down cutback lanes and has sideline-to-sideline range. Plays under control in space, wraps up upon contact and is a reliable open field tackler. While doesn’t have much experience dropping into coverage, is quick and athletic enough to hold own in zone coverage once he gains experience in this area.
Weaknesses: Is quicker than fast. Shows good initial burst but lacks elite closing quickness as a pass rusher. Though tough, he lacks ideal lower body strength, doesn’t always stay low to the ground and struggles to anchor when teams run at him. Can deliver a power punch at times but doesn’t always use hands well and takes too long to long to shed blocks when gets reached. Relies on quickness too much and occasionally tries to sidestep blocks rather than stacking them up. Doesn’t protect legs all that well and is vulnerable to cut blocks. Appears to pull up when blockers are able to get into position and effort is inconsistent.
Overall: Florida red-shirted Harvey in 2004 and he appeared in nine games of the 2005 season. Harvey stated all 14 games of the 2006 season and recorded 11 sacks that year. He started all 13 games of the 2007 season recording 32 total tackles, 11 tackles-for-loss, 4.5 quarterback sacks and three quarterback-hurries. Harvey lacks ideal top-end speed and he also needs to improve his lower-body strength in order to take on bigger NFL blockers in the run game. While he is not quite as explosive as former Gator line-mate Jarvis Moss (Broncos), Harvey is a more complete player at this point. He possesses very good initial burst and athletic ability for his size. We think Harvey can develop into a good every-down starter in a 4-3 scheme at the next level, which is why we give him a slightly higher grade than the one we gave a year ago to Moss, who was selected 17th overall.
Rick Gosselin:13th
Mel Kiper: 23rd
A battle-tested SEC veteran with that quick twitch you look for in a pass-rusher. Harvey started slowly in 2007, but came on in the latter half of the season, finishing with 8½ sacks and 17 tackles for loss.
It’ll depend somewhat on what the Jags gave away to move up but it does seem that they moved up too high for Harvey. Then again, there’s been a run on defensive linemen and they must have felt it worth the cost.
It was broom and dustpan time in Gainesville last Friday.
The Gators’ 2006 BCS National Championship trophy fell off of its stand in Florida’s football offices and broke Friday, Florida’s operations and facilities director Chip Howard said Monday.
Because Florida is preparing to move to its new offices, which are expected to be completed in July, Howard said the trophy was in a temporary location in an open area of one of the stadium’s sky boxes.
“It was on a coffee table, and it was inadvertently bumped,” Howard said. “It doesn’t take much for the top of it to fall off.”
The trophy was insured for $8,000, and the university has already put in an order to replace it. Howard said it should take about 90 days for the new Waterford crystal trophy to reach Gainesville.
At least it was insured. Note also, the trophy was on a coffee table. Was someone using it to store mints?
The Boca Raton University makes it first ever trip to Gainesville. However it isn’t the first for the Owls’ Coach.
It was the 1980 season finale and Howard Schnellenberger’s unranked Miami Hurricanes had tacked on another touchdown for a 28-7 lead against No. 18 Florida. The Gators’ student section, frustrated and angry at its targets below, unleashed a final volley.
The fruit, used to sneak alcohol into the stadium, hit a UM cheerleader. Next, Schnellenberger’s 20-year-old son got plunked.
Then came a near-knockout blow. Assistant coach Christ Vagotis took one to the head, dropping him to a knee.
With one second remaining, Schnellenberger fired back.
“Field goal,” he yelled to his kicking unit.
Offensive coordinator Kim Helton, standing alongside Schnellenberger, couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“Oh, coach. Don’t do it …don’t do it,” Helton pleaded.
Danny Miller’s field goal brought more venom, but Schnellenberger had made his point.
“They raised a ruckus when I kicked it, but that’s why I did it,” he said this week. “I wanted to be asked about it after the game.”
Rowdy Florida College football fans in 1980. Hard to believe? You got to remember that the Gators went winless in 1979 and some thought the Hurricanes were doomed after Coach Lou Saban left Miami for West Point early in 1979.(Funny how Sabans leave Miami early, as I pointed out in this post)
Today, Schnellenberger returns to Florida Field for only the fourth time since that infamous orange-inspired field goal when his Florida Atlantic Owls play the Gators, who are favored to win by 34 points.
*****
Schnellenberger, whose Hurricanes were on their way to the Peach Bowl, the school’s first post-season game in 12 seasons, didn’t hesitate to call on Miller for a 35-yard attempt.
*****
Schnellenberger’s Hurricanes weren’t as successful in their last two visits to Florida.
In 1982, the Gators snapped a four-game losing streak against UM, winning 17-14 on a late touchdown catch by running back James Jones.
In 1983, Schnellenberger started a freshman quarterback at Florida Field and lost 28-3.
Fortunately for UM, Bernie Kosar recovered from that inauspicious debut to lead the Hurricanes to 11 straight wins, including the 1984 Orange Bowl against Nebraska for the Hurricanes’ first national championship.
Schnellenberger’s last game at Florida came as Louisville’s coach in a 31-17 loss in 1992 to Steve Spurrier’s Gators.
I played ball against James Jones star of the 82 game. James Jones, who went on to play for the Detroit Lions, played high school football at Pompano Beach Ely High School.
This year I think Howard Schnellenberger is more worried about his heavy underdog Owls team getting out of Gainesville in one piece physically, rather than the threat of more oranges being thrown at him.
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