News Archive for Urban Meyer

Lane Kiffin Bolts Rocky Top for USC

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

Its tough to surprise the average sports fan these days when it comes to Lane Kiffin.  From getting fired for cause by the Oakland Raiders to being accused of sending pretty girls in to lead his recruiting efforts, ESPN is reporting that Kiffin has resigned as head coach for the Tennessee Volunteers to take the same position at USC.   Kiffin’s hiring comes quickly after the announcement that Pete Carroll had stepped down to take the head coach position with the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks.

Kiffin Leaves USC After One Season

Kiffin Leaves USC After One Season

Kiffin’s only season at Tennessee was a tumultuous one.  During his stay, he publically accused Florida coach Urban Meyer of NCAA recruiting violations, was officially reprimanded by the SEC, accused Georgia of cheating on a radio show and told a South Carolina recruit that he would be pumping gas after his playing days were over.  Additionally, Kiffin’s involvement with an on-campus girl booster’s club was questioned and he caused the university to be probed for an NCAA secondary violation for bringing a former student of St. Thomas Aquinas (FL) along on a recruiting trip to his former high school alma mater.

You wonder who is more happier about the new job, USC or Tennessee?

Kiffin takes over a program that is on life support due constant NCAA probes, a departing coach and a handful of early departures by underclassmen.  Kiffin will have his hands full with a program that looks to be heading towards probation as a result of the latest NCAA violation drama surrounding star running back Joe McKnight.

Given all the problems at USC, Kiffin seems like a poor choice given his penchant for being a loose cannon.  While he may understand the university and its approach to fielding a top-notch squad, Kiffin has failed to show the leadership skills in his two overnight stays as a head coach.

Next question is, will his Daddy be joining him sunny Southern California to keep him grounded?

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Posted in Southern Cal University, Tennessee University, college football | No Comments »

Will Tebow’s Finale Be Sweet As Sugar?

Friday, January 1st, 2010

One of the greatest players in college football history will write his final chapter this evening as Tim Tebow closes out his career with the Florida Gators.  Given the press coverage of the game, you wouldn’t know it.   The headlines of the game have focused on issues regarding each team’s respective head coach rather than Tebow getting his fourth consecutive bowl victory.

Tebow Closes Out Historic Career

Tebow Closes Out Historic Career

Tebow’s departure will leave a gaping hole on a team where the talent level has clearly declined over the course of the last four years.  That talent deficit was hidden by Tebow’s leadership, but was exposed as the Gators were hammered by Alabama 32-13 in the SEC Championship.  That defeat and Tebow’s departure will likely accelerate the decision of Florida’s top underclassmen to declare early for the NFL Draft.

That’s enough to give Urban Meyer another anxiety attack.

But the focus tonight should be a celebration of what Tim Tebow has meant to college football.  The fire is his eyes, his pure athleticism, his determination to win.  These are all things we will miss after the final gun sounds tonight.  Just take a look at some of Tebow’s accomplishments:

  • Heisman Trophy Winner
  • 3x finalist for Heisman Trophy
  • Two NCAA Championships
  • Three SEC Championships
  • 2x Maxwell Award Winner
  • NCAA First Team All-American
  • NCAA Academic All-American
  • 1st Player in NCAA history to score 20 Rushing TDs and throw 20 passing TDs in a season.
  • SEC record for Total Offense in a season
  • SEC record for Most Touchdowns, Career
  • SEC record for Most Touchdowns, Season
  • SEC record for Most Touchdowns, Game
  • SEC record for Most Rushing Touchdowns, Career
  • SEC record for Most Rushing Touchdowns, Season
  • SEC record for Passing Efficiency, Career
  • SEC record for Lowest Interception Rate, Career

The list can go on much longer, but lets leave it here.

NFL scouts say that Tim Tebow has no future at the next level.  That his intangibles don’t make up for his lack of pocket passing skills.  That he is a product of a system that has a proven failure in Alex Smith. That his arm motion doesn’t translate.  Or that his arm strength and accuracy just don’t measure up.

Pish Posh!

The Sugar Bowl serves as his final national television to silence the doubters with a masterful performance.  Expect Tebow to show up big and send notice to the NFL scouts that his intelligence, internal drive and ability to win make a future star at the professional level.

Tebow is a special player for the ages.  Let hope we get to enjoy him for many years to come in the NFL.

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Posted in Cincinnati University, Florida University, college football | No Comments »

Can Urban Meyer Please Make Up His Mind?

Sunday, December 27th, 2009
Urban Meyer Does Aboutface

Urban Meyer Does An About-Face

Florida Gators head coach resigned on Saturday due to health reasons.  On Sunday, he choose to take a leave of absence instead of resigning.  Is it a change of heart or did he get a call from his accountant to give him a dose of reality?

Meyer and the university have been mum on exactly what ails the head coach.  Reports about a visit to the hospital after the Florida Gators got thumped by the Alabama Crimson Tide have surfaced as well as details about an arachnoid cyst that was discovered in his brain in 1998.  Nobody has confirmed Meyer has a heart attack and arachnoid cysts do not appear to be a life threatening health issue…although I am not a doctor, I just play one in the newsroom.  Most Gator fans visited the hospitals with persistent convulsions after being thoroughly whooped in the SEC championship game.

So what gives?

Many fans believe Meyer woke up to the realization that the joy ride he has been coasting on called Tim Tebow is graduating.  With Tebow’s departure, the spotlight glare moves now to Meyer.  Is he a great coach or did Tebow do this all on his own?  Meyer’s legacy will be on trial as soon as Tim Tebow leaves campus and begins preparing for the NFL combine.  The pressure was going to build and be placed squarely on Meyer’s shoulders.

Now we have the about-face.  Meyer signed a six-year, $24 million dollar extension at the beginning of the college football season.  Prior to coming to Florida, Meyer was making peanuts compared to what he is making today.  His original contract with Florida was for $2 million per year, was extended for $3.2 million per year in 2007 and again this past August.  Meyer simply has not been on the gravy train long enough to just walk away.  He has bills to pay to continue the lifestyle he has been leading and it surely was a major top of conversation at the Meyer household dinner table.  He’d have to change his lifestyle considerable to change his cash outflows.

Is the about-face about money or a change of ailing heart?

The easy option for Meyer is to walk away.  The pressure in Gainesville is going to be tremendous and it is pretty clear he is having issues dealing with stress given what we know about his medical history.  But when you get paid millions it comes with the territory.  Many Americans live with same stress in their lives figuring out how to pay their mortgage, feed their children and keep their jobs in a sagging economy. Most Americans would trade spots with Urban Meyer in a heartbeat.

Meyer’s flip-flop will no doubt kill his recruiting efforts.  What blue chip athlete is going to come to Florida now with this major question mark?  If Meyer was concerned about be outted as a fraud coach, he just poured gasoline on the fire with his unexpected schizophrenic behavior this weekend.

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Posted in Florida University, college football | 3 Comments »

Can anyone lasso the Gators

Thursday, December 3rd, 2009
Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators Cannot Be Tamed

Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators Cannot Be Tamed

The college football season is winding down and the only question on my mind is; Can anyone take down the mighty Gators. My answer is No. Florida is clearly leaps and bounds ahead of any of the teams that pose a threat to them repeating as National Champions.  Florida has the most and deepest  talent among any team. Add the best college football player of all-time in Tim Tebow, and you have a unstoppable machine. Oh yes, they have a pretty good head coach in Urban Meyer.

Florida will begin their march for this national championship in the SEC championship game on DEC 5 against second rated Alabama. This is a good test before the championship game ,but it will be the combination of  talent and Tebow that will carry the Gators to victory. When they defeat Bama, they will probably either face Texas, TCU or Cincinnati for the title. Those teams are good but not good enough to lasso a victory from the Gators. I think TCU would give them the best game.

Tim Tebow is one of my favorite College Football players of All-Time. I love his intensity and his drive to win is second to none. Like me, he justs hates to lose.  He has the heart of a champion. This is infectious to his teammates and  gets the most out of them because of it. Florida, Tebow, and Meyer will go out unbeaten and add another Championship trophy to the mantle. I  consider it a privilege to be able tow watch a player like Tim Tebow perform over the years, you will never see another player like him. Don’t miss his last two games.

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Posted in Alabama University, Alabama University, Cincinnati University, Florida University, Texas Christian University, Texas University, college football | 1 Comment »