Friday, January 9, 2009

Gators, Again; Does Another Title Await In '09?

Closing thoughts on another awesome SEC season that ended Thursday night on the highest of notes for the nation's best league, year in and year out:

--Yeah, it was ragged at times. Crept along because of the overly deliberative officiating crew. Lacking the anticipated offensive fireworks. But for football fanatics, it was a thing of beauty, prettied up by the defenses dealing admirably with Oklahoma's no-huddle and Florida's semi-spread. Urban Meyer may be the Gators boss man, but defensive coordinator Charlie Strong was the sideline star.

--Florida's wins over Oklahoma and Alabama were eerily similar: dead-even games for three quarters, then Gators dominate the fourth. It speaks to their will to win, and their coaching.

--Tim Tebow for MVP? Come on, give it to somebody on the Florida defense, which was superb. Me, I'd find a lineman, seeing as how the Gators' front often crushed the mighty Sooners line.

--Maybe the voters were swayed by Fox announcer Thom Brennaman, a solid play-caller except when he was campaigning for Tebow for sainthood. A little too much, Thom.

--Sam Bradford's rare misjudgment at the end of the first half may have cost the Okies the game. With 10 seconds left, he passed to a receiver shy of the goal line. The ball was picked by Florida. Had it been caught by the red shirts, the clock may have expired. Bradford knows better to throw it in the end zone or the seats, giving him (or his kicker) another snap.

--Percy Harvin can flat freakin' fly -- and is tough, to boot. What a threat.

--Only three seniors started for the Gators, meaning they'll be ranked No. 1 next preseason if the other 19 return. That won't happen, given all the NFL prospects in their junior class, but Florida could withstand the loss of a few and still open 2009 in the same spot where they finished '08. The biggest if is Tebow, still with a year of eligibility. Of course, to listen to Brennaman, he might just forego football and pledge to a life of missionary work.

Selah.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Sooners Than Later, Gator: Liking Florida Less And Less

Florida still looks like a winner to me in the BCS Championship showdown. Maybe it's the absurdly long building between the SEC/Big 12 title games 33 days ago, but I am wavering slightly in my belief that this game belongs lock, stock and barrel to the Gators.

Doesn't Florida offensive coordinator Dan Mullen working after-hours as the new head coach at Mississippi State affect game preparation?

Can Florida, even with a month of practice, adequately prepare for the Sooners' phenomenal no-huddle offense?

Isn't Oklahoma's defense, which allowed 25 percent of its touchdowns in mop-up time, better than the numbers show?

Didn't the pass-happy offense carve out the most mind-boggling statistic of this era: 11 sacks allowed all season?

For all of Tim Tebow's achievements, isn't Sam Bradford the quarterback you'd choose to win one big game?

I see that the point spread has crept up to four and beyond. I'm headed in the other direction. Put a BB-gun to my head, and I'll pick Florida. But I no longer will be surprised if the Okies are doing the celebratory hokey-pokey.

You?