"The Dark Knight" after Friday Night Lights...

Sometimes on Gator Clause you get more than you asked for...

GAINESVILLE -- In case you didn't know this already, Gator Clause oftentimes doesn't limit itself to writing about football. This is one of those times.

After stopping by The Swamp last night for Urban's recruiting emporium (Friday Night Lights), I went to the movies over on Archer road, watched The Dark Knight and drank Cherry Coke. Scroll down if all you want to do is read about Friday Night Lights. Keep reading if you're interested in my thoughts on the movie. I'm not going to write much about it (because I'm no Rene Rodriguez) but here are a few thoughts you might not have read anywhere else. 

5. There's a reason why we love Batman. He's human and we can relate. He loves, he hates, he errs and he suffers. People understand the painful feeling of simply being overwhelmed with the problems of the day and that's just one reason why The Dark Knight is such a powerful film. This superhero is flawed just like you and me. Good writing -- in any form -- is hidden in the details. Most people can't relate to a billionaire vigilante but most people can relate to the fear of getting bitten by a dog, losing a loved one and not being liked.

4. The Dark Knight is a story about selflessness and choices. Batman must choose between what's best for Gotham (saving Gotham's District Attorney) or what's best for Batman (saving the girl he loves). Gotham's citizens and convicts must choose between saving themselves or putting the fate of their lives into the hands of total strangers. Rachel Dawes must choose between her promise to Batman or marrying Harvey Dent. And then there's the Joker, who makes no choices. He just does. The polarization of these two ideas (hero and villain/good and bad/human consciousness and animalistic savagery) manifests itself in the form of another character, Dent, who falls and becomes Two Face, a villain who lost everything (His girl, his good looks, his will and then his mind and conscience). The random flip of a coin becomes his moral guide.

3. Did anyone other than me whisper, "That's my bike, punk." just before Zeus delivers his only line of the movie?

2. The Joker was the star of this movie. He was more than a villain. He was pure chaos. There was no motivation behind his evil other than the motivation to be evil. He destroyed order without reason. No one even knows what drove the Joker to madness. It didn't matter. That's why he made up those elaborate stories about his facial scars. Most people are driven to evil because of a dark past or daddy issues. Not the Joker. Nothing created this, he explained to the audience. I just am. Again, this movie was well written.

1. The movie left us with two metaphors. Joker was literally left hanging. Was this a nod to Heath Ledger's untimely death? The second metaphor was the white knight/dark knight image of Batman and Dent lying side by side. The Dark Knight gets up and keeps running. You've got to be a little bad to do a lot of good.

DID YOU KNOW? The actress who played Rachel Dawes in Dark Knight (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is the niece of Anders Gyllenhaal, editor of The Miami Herald.

Feel free, folks, to leave your own thoughts on the movie. Now for my take on Friday Night Lights...

OK, let's first get one thing straight. I'm not here to write about all the recruits that were at Friday Night Lights. That's for the weirdoes over at Rivals.com and Scout.com. It's one thing that Urban and his staff want to get a jump on the classes of 2010 and 2011 but it's quite another thing if you think I'm going to write about how some juniors and sophomores in high school performed at a summer camp. No one spit up on their bibs or shoulder pads. There, enough said.

My official report:
There were about 150 high school kids. According to a couple parents, they were invited to this camp by UF's coaching staff in the form of a mailed letter. The price of admission was $35. The speakers inside The Swamp pumped trendy bubble gum hip-hop into everyone's ear canals within a 10-mile radius. (I really hate this new hip-hop. What happened to good rap?) I chatted it up with a couple parents from South Florida who shelled out major bread at the gas pump just to be there.

From Broward, I'll highlight the kids from Deerfield Beach who made the trip. Senior quarterback Denard Robinson looked pretty good. He's got a good arm and can scramble. I spoke with Merilyn Strawbridge, the mother of Deerfield Beach junior running back Cassius McDowell for about 20 minutes. The Bucks are pretty excited about the combination of Robinson and McDowell in the backfield this season. I'm pretty sure Florida's coaching staff will be at some games. Robinson and McDowell are both speedsters. They anchored Deerfield Beach's state championship 4x100 relay.

From Miami-Dade, I spoke with the father of Miami Northwestern junior slot receiver/running back Corvin Lamb. Lamb (5-10, 190 pounds) apparently ran one of the fastest 40-yard dash times of the camp. Here's an interesting story about Lamb. He played at Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas his freshman season and guess who gave him a ride to school every day? None other than the Gators' starting free safety Major Wright. (Now that's inside information you won't read anywhere else.) Pretty sure that means Lamb will take a close look at the Gators next season.

Speaking of Major Wright and St. Thomas Aquinas, I'll finish up this blog with a nice picture I took last night of former Lakeland standout Chris Rainey, who beat Wright's St. Thomas Raiders three straight times in the 5A state championship game. I'm pretty sure Major will never be borrowing this shirt from Rainey. (Rainey has put on some muscle, by the way. He's looking pretty good.)

Oh, one more thing. I spoke with Urban's wife Shelley Meyer on Friday night and asked her about this spinning class I've been hearing about. Meyer teaches a spin class at Gainesville Health & Fitness and guess what? That's right, I'm going to take the class and see if I can hang. Check back on Tuesday or Wednesday for details. Check back tomorrow for my first podcast of the football season. I'll have a top 10 list from the FSWA college football media days, talk about the football team's worst dresser (Will Hill) and also preview what's on the agenda for next week.

-jo-

Tebow drives the ball 360 yards; Waffles between Caddyshack and Happy Gilmore

I offer you proof that Tim Tebow is indeed fallible. He would rather watch Happy Gilmore than Caddyshack...

GAINESVILLE -- Tim Tebow is in Los Angeles today for the filming of the 2008 ESPY Awards. ESPN will air the show at 9 p.m. on Sunday. Tebow was a consensus all-American and won the Heisman, Maxwell and Davey O'Brien Awards last season and now Tebow can add Best Male College Athlete of the Year to that list. (Assuming he wins, wink-wink.)

Tebow, his brother and father played in the ESPY Awards celebrity golf scramble on Tuesday. Gator Clause caught up with Tebow shortly after he walked off the 18th green. Most of the questions were lighthearted and fun. We'll have plenty of time to ask Tebow SERIOUS questions about football before the season starts.

GATOR CLAUSE: How's the golf game these days?
TEBOW: "It needs improvement. Unfortunately, I don't have enough time to work on fixing the hook."

GATOR CLAUSE: So, what's the worst aspect of your golf game?
TEBOW: "That's a good question. I can be talented at times and make some good golf shots and drive the ball pretty far and do some nice things but the consistency of doing it over and over is a problem."

GATOR CLAUSE: What's your longest drive?
TEBOW: "Oh, you know. Probably 360 or 365. Somewhere in there."

GATOR CLAUSE: What did you shoot today?
TEBOW: "I shot a 94 and my brother [Peter, a senior at UF], who was my partner, shot an 85."

GATOR CLAUSE: What was the format?
TEBOW: "We were playing two-person, low ball, low total. My brother beat me but we were on a team. But we still lost to my dad."

GATOR CLAUSE: Since we're on the golf theme, which is a better golf comedy: Happy Gilmore or Caddyshack?
TEBOW: "I'm going to say Caddyshack is funnier to me. Well, I mean, I think Caddyshack is funnier to most people but what's funnier to me would be Happy Gilmore. It's more my style and it's a more recent movie. Caddyshack is a classic and I know most people would say that's one of the best movies ever but I have to go with Happy Gilmore. If I had to pick one to watch right now it would be Happy Gilmore."

GATOR CLAUSE: What was the most surreal conversation you had today with a celebrity?
TEBOW: "I was talking with Keith Jackson and I wanted him to say "Whoa, neelie!" but I held it in."

GATOR CLAUSE: Who do you want to sit next to at the ESPYs?
TEBOW: [Laughs...and then more laughs, as if blushing through the phone.] "I don't know. I don't really care. It has never been a huge goal of mine or anything. But obviously it's cool to see a lot of cool people. It's interesting and fun because you get to meet some people and build some relationships."

GATOR CLAUSE: Who did you meet?
TEBOW: "Eli Manning was cool. Keith Jackson. Ray Allen and some of the Celtics guys."

GATOR CLAUSE: The ESPY Awards thing is kind of gimmicky but it raises awareness for a good cause, cancer research. How has the disease affected the lives of people close to you?
TEBOW: "The Jimmy V Foundation does great work. Cancer affects everybody and it has definitely affected people close to me. It has affected my grandma, an uncle and several of my best friends' parents."

GATOR CLAUSE: Coach Meyer recently had a birthday. Did you get him anything?
TEBOW: "Maybe a pat on the back. No, I just got back from a mission trip. I got to wish him happy birthday but I didn't get him anything. I plan on getting him a few victories this year...hopefully...maybe."

GATOR CLAUSE: Where was this latest mission trip to?
TEBOW: "Thailand." (Tebow's older sister lives in Thialand.)

GATOR CLAUSE: Have you offered Coach Meyer to play safety yet?
TEBOW: [LAUGHS] "No, I haven't thrown that out there yet."

GATOR CLAUSE: Complete this sentence: Ahmad Black is a bit undersized but he can ...
TEBOW: "... make up for it with great athleticism, heart and skill at his position."

GATOR CLAUSE: What have you worked on the most this offseason?
TEBOW: "I've worked on everything but the main focus going into fall camp will be not always trying to make the big play and being content with taking the check down and always try to put my team in the best position possible and making great decisions play in and play out."

-jo-

Top 10 things UF fans want to know; Make your suggestions now

GAINESVILLE -- Gator Clause will be in Tampa on Thursday and Friday for the Florida Sports Writers Association press conferences. Every college football team in the state will be represented and sports writers will get their first chances of the preseason to ask questions.

UF's Urban Meyer will speak with reporters on Thursday. Here's your chance, oh faithful reader of this blog, to enter the conversation. Post a question for Meyer on this blog in the comment field or email me at jgoodman@MiamiHerald.com and I'll begin a list. I'll whittle the list down to 10 questions and make sure Meyer addresses each one.

This is your chance to be a UF beat writer, so don't let me down! I'll start it off with a few obvious questions Meyer must address:

5. Depth at safety took a few hits this offseason. What's the plan for the position heading into preseason practice?

4. What are some things the defense can do to offset the losses at safety?

3. The bad news is your defense is a little thin at one position right now. The good news is your defense returns nine starters. How is the defensive outlook right now compared to last season?

2. One of your main concerns this offseason was addressing the false sense of entitlement the underclassmen displayed before the beginning of the 2007 season. How would you describe the team's collective attitude on the eve of two-a-days?

1. Brandon Spikes had a poor offseason in 2007. This offseason, Spikes has really embraced what it takes to be a success at UF and a leader. How important is it to have a player of Spikes' importance embrace the program's philosophy and become a role model?

SPIKES NOW THE LEADER COACHES KNEW HE COULD BECOME
Gator Clause realizes it's a little backwards to pose a question about Spikes' poor offseason in 2007 without first explaining the background of that question. Well, whatever. That's the way it's going to be. Here's the explanation:

As many of you know, I spoke with UF strength and conditioning coach Mickey Marotti last week. One of the topics that came up was Brandon Spikes' newfound enthusiasm for working out. In the 2007 offseason, Spikes didn't take workouts very seriously and it led to a slow start in two-a-days last August.

"I don't know how much effort [Spikes] put into the weight room last year," Marotti said. "Like a lot of really talented athletes, he didn't have to work much in high school to be better than everybody, so I think a little bit of that carried over to college.
"He had an adjustment period and now his whole attitude is completely changed. Now he's talking about loving workouts and he knows how important the offseason is for his personal goals and the team's overall goals."

MAROTTI CAN'T WAIT FOR A DEMPS VS. RAINEY FOOTRACE
Jeffrey Demps wasn't on campus in Gainesville but for a few days and already Marotti wanted to pit the almost Olympian sprinter up against UF speedster Chris Rainey in footrace. Marotti talked about it but passed on the urge to see the two players dual.

"I almost raced them the other day but it wouldn't be fair," Marotti said. "I imagine there will be a race once we get in pads. We'll line them up. You've got to remember that Demps is one step away from being in the Olympics. That's really fast. He had like the fastest high school time ever."

Marotti says Demps is more than just a speed demon. UF's strength and conditioning coach was surprised at Demps' strength considering he's just an incoming freshman. Demps weighs 175 pounds but Marotti said the running back has the strength of someone who weighs 225 pounds.

Marotti made it sound like Demps has the potential to get a serious look during two-a-days for playing time as a freshman.

"We're going to see what he's all about," Marotti said.

-jo-

Gators gearing up for Olympics; Lochte and Phelps dueling at practice

The Beijing Games are right around the corner and Gator Clause has already caught the Olympics fever. The Miami Herald has always been one of the nation's leading sources for Olympics coverage. Here at Gator Clause, you'll find all the Olympics coverage you can stand as it relates to the University of Florida. Today's blog includes news about Gators and current Olympians Ryan Lochte, Dara Torres, Caroline Burckle and Bradley Alley in addition to general news about the U.S. Olympics swim team. Enjoy...   

GAINESVILLE -- Today Gator Clause takes a break from football and goes inside the huddle of the U.S. Olympics swim team. Three former Gators are headed to Beijing with Team U.S.A. and UF swim coach Gregg Troy, one of the sport’s most respected voices, is an assistant.

Team U.S.A. is currently in California, training for The Games at Stanford University before shipping out to China around the beginning of August. The following news and information is from a recent interview with Troy, who is in California with Team U.S.A.

Here’s an idea of how respected Troy is in the swimming world: It’s one thing to be named an assistant to an Olympics team. It’s a whole different kind of honor to be the direct assistant to individual medley superstars Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps. Troy directs Lochte and Phelps every day and, according to Troy, the rivalry between the two swimmers plays out in the form of healthy competition.

“Every day I’m watching the two best guys ever in the individual medley go head to head,” Troy said. “It’s a pretty interesting couple of hours.

“One of the reasons I’m here is to keep [Lochte] on track but at the same time we’re looking at some of the other guys to swim the medley relays. [Lochte] and Phelps are doing a lot of training together right now, so we’re looking for them both to get better but at the same time their both competitors. It brings the best out in both of them and makes it a good training situation.”

A little background on Troy [PICTURED] before we get into the meat of the interview. In his career, Troy has instructed more than 50 Olympians, over 200 All-America swimmers and has coached athletes to more than 150 U.S. and international records. He took over UF’s women’s program in 1998 and became head coach of both the men’s and women’s teams in 1999.TROY: Ryan loves to race and he loves to compete. Having someone in front of him becomes a driving force for him. They’re both good for one another and I think Michael is especially good for him because it gives him something to shoot for.

Troy has served as head coach of the U.S. swim team several times (World Championships in 2001 and Pan American Games in 1999). In short, the guy is a better swim coach than Urban Meyer is a football coach.

Troy was instrumental in sculpting former Gator Ryan Lochte into the world-class sensation he is today. If there was no Michael Phelps, then Ryan Lochte would be the cover boy for the U.S. Olympic swim team.

“Right now if there’s no Michael Phelps, then [Lochte] is the fastest guy in the world in three events,” Troy said. “He’s the second fastest guy in another event and he’s in the top five in three or four others. So, if there’s no Michael Phelps, then [Lochte] would be exactly in the same dynamic that Michael is in.”

Lochte [PICTURED] and Phelps will form the white-hot core of an immensely talented U.S. men’s team in Beijing. The U.S. men are the overwhelming favorites to win it all.

“I think the men’s team certainly has the potential to be the best one ever,” Troy said. “There are solid people, world record holders and a tremendous amount of international experience in every event. From that dynamic the men’s team has the opportunity to be dominate."

The U.S. women’s team will not be considered the favorite in Beijing. That honor will go to the Australians.

“The women’s team is unique in that there is a tremendous age difference from a 15-year-old to a 41-year-old, rookies to experienced people,” Troy said. “The women will have a little more challenge than the men because the Australian women have a tremendous team. The women face some bigger challenges than the men to be a success.”

The women’s team features two former Gators. Caroline Burckle recently completed her eligibility at Florida and was named the NCAA Swimmer of the Year. Dara Torres, a Broward County native, is now 41 years old and recently qualified for her fifth Olympic Games.

Burckle finished fourth at the U.S. trials in the 200 free, qualifying her for a relay. She set five school records while at UF.

“Caroline Burckle is one of the most improved women swimmers in the United States,” Troy said. “She just missed making the [U.S.] team in two events. She’s very fresh. She’s the type of women who, if she continues, will do very well."

Burckle has always been somewhat of a late bloomer. She was slow to develop as a youngster. In high school, Burckle didn’t dominate until late in her senior year. At the collegiate level, Burckle made her largest strides as a senior.

“She’s got a lot of natural talent and she’s just starting to figure this sport out,” Troy said. “She’s still maturing and developing as an athlete. She’s more coachable now and I think she’s just now getting the strength to swim at this level.”

OK, this is getting kind of boring. Let’s change up the format to a Q&A…Here’s the rest of the transcript from my interview with Troy.

GATOR CLAUSE: Torres will compete in Beijing in the 50-meter freestyle and the relays. What’s her secret?
TROY: “What makes [Torres, PICTURED BELOW] such and inspiration is her articulate approach to what she does,” Troy said. “She doesn’t leave stones unturned. She is always looking at other avenues of training. She’s looking at ways to be successful.
“There’s a little bit of a misconception that she has been training hard. She has probably been putting in as much time as she ever did but now she’s doing it in lots of different manners.”

GATOR CLAUSE: What’s her cross-training regiment include?
TROY: “She does everything from pilates, weight workouts, stretching, yoga and five to six days a week of very intense single sessions where she is really zeroing in on specific things. When you combine those things with years of experience, she’s tough to beat.”

GATOR CLAUSE: Torres won her first Olympic gold way back in 1984 at the Los Angeles Games. So, you’re saying she knows what she’s doing when she’s up on the blocks?
TROY: “She knows what it takes and she has always been one of the best, so technically she’s refining her skills where there are not many flaws.”

GATOR CLAUSE: How is the rivalry between Lochte and Phelps [PICTURED, LOOKING JACKED] helping both swimmers during training?

GATOR CLAUSE: Would Ryan be Phelps if there was no Phelps?
TROY: Right now if there’s no M.P. then he’s the fastest guy in the world in three events. He’s the second fastest guy in another event and he’s in the top five in three or four others, so if there’s no M.P then he’s exactly in the same dynamic that Michael is in.

GATOR CLAUSE: Ryan went through a transformation early in his career at UF. Was he a tough nut to crack in the beginning?
TROY: “I’d say we butted heads a little bit when he was younger. Not so much of Ryan being headstrong. It was more about getting him to understand what it takes to be the best.”

GATOR CLAUSE: What’s Lochte like away from the pool?
TROY: “He’s one of those guys that can turn it on with the task at hand and he can also turn it off and leave it there. So it’s kind of good in the standpoint that it doesn’t get all consuming.”

GATOR CLAUSE: How is Lochte’s lively personality spicing up practice these days?
TROY: Sometimes at practice it’s very much like practicing with a little kid. Sometimes out of the clear blue sky he’ll take two steps and just jump off the blocks and just take off. That whole aspect of him — the skateboarding and the scooter accident and all the things that happened to him — it’s just all a part of his make-up. He’s just a little bit of a risk taker. You have your risk takers throughout this level because you’re trying to do things that have never been done. So you can’t be afraid to take challenges.”

GATOR CLAUSE: Is there a Beijing skateboard policy in place for Ryan?
TROY: “We have no skateboards on the trip and we have don’t plan on looking for any.”

GATOR CLAUSE: UF swimmer Bradley Alley is a name swimming fans in Broward and Miami-Dade recognize. He dominated in high school and was named Broward’s high school athlete of the year. Can we expect anything out of Alley in Beijing as he suits up with Team Barbados?
TROY: “It’s a little easier to make a foreign nation’s team than the U.S. team. So, Bradley had a little easier route to the Games. But he’s in a situation where we’re seeing some real good things from him in training. He’s probably a little behind Ryan in understanding what it’s going to take to be a success at that level. But by the same token, we’ve seen big improvement. I think we’re going to see some pretty good things from him.”

-jo-

OK, that was a pretty long read but I think it was worth the time. Again, Gator Clause will follow all the current and former Gators during The Beijing Games.

UF's Munroe, Curtis out for season with ACL tears

GAINESVILLE -- Florida safeties Dorian Munroe and John Curtis suffered season-ending knee damage this week during offseason workouts.

The University of Florida released the information today. Both Munroe, a Miami native, and Curtis tore anterior-cruciate ligaments in their knees. Munroe will likely redshirt this season while Curtis' football career could be over. Curtis, a senior, has a history of knee injuries. Florida has now lost five -- that's right, FIVE! -- safeties this offseason for various reasons.

"Dorian and John were having tremendous offseasons," UF coach Urban Meyer said. "I'm confident Dorian will battle through the rehabilitation process and come back a better football player. John has suffered through multiple knee injuries and the medical staff along with John and his family will need to evaluate his long-term future in football."

Munroe, a Miami Coral Reef alum, was the Gators' projected starter at strong safety this season. The loss of Munroe and Curtis are two more major blows for the Gators' secondary, which has lost several players this offseason. Safety Jamar Hornsby was kicked off the team after being arrested for credit card fraud. Incoming freshman Dee Finley, one of the top-rated safeties in the country, didn't qualify academically for enrollment at UF. Jerimy Finch left the program.

Munroe's mother, Eleise Munroe, said that her son's injury occurred on Thursday and that UF's doctors will know more next week after further evaluating the knee.

"He is doing very well and his spirits are up," Eleise Munroe said. "We haven't heard much but he was looking forward to having a good year and we're hoping he can recuperate really fast."

WHO WILL REPLACE MUNROE?
This is terrible news for Munroe, who has risen up the depth chart during his career at Florida. A rising junior, Munroe received his first playing time as a freshman when Tony Joiner went down with a knee injury. Last season, Munroe was a back-up to freshman Major Wright but received playing time in Florida's dime, nickel and three-safety sets.

Who will replace Munroe? Depth is paper-thin at the safety positions with the losses of Munroe, Hornsby, Finley, Curtis and Jerimy Finch. The option are limited. Redshirt freshman Ahmad Black and redshirt sophomore Bryan Thomas are inexperienced options. Black performed well this spring after moving from cornerback to safety. Florida's coaching staff will likely consider moving Major Wright to strong safety and inserting incoming freshman Will Hill at free safety. Hill, a New Jersey product, was considered one of the most athletic high school football players of the 2008 signing class.

Also, don't be surprised to see a cornerback move to the safety position. Gator Clause speculated a couple of days ago that Moses Jenkins might move to safety. After these latest injuries, that idea doesn't seem so farfetched.

Somebody help me out here and name Florida's starting secondary by the Miami game. Here's my speculative two-deep secondary depth chart after Munroe's injury:

STRONG SAFETY
-Major Wright
-Ahmad Black

FREE SAFETY
-Will Hill
-Moses Jenkins

CORNERBACKS
-Wondy Pierre-Louis (Jacques Rickerson)
-Joe Haden (Markihe Anderson)

-jo-

One year later, Moses Jenkins one of the Gators' most improved players in workouts

MORE FROM MY INTERVIEW WITH UF STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH MICKEY MAROTTI...

GAINESVILLE -- The highlight of my interview earlier this week with UF coach Mickey Marotti was news that Broward County product Moses Jenkins is one of the most improved players in the weight room and could be one of the Gators' most improved players on the field this season.

Jenkins [PICTURED] came to Gainesville skinny and shy, but now -- on the eve of his sophomore season -- Moses is starting to bloom into the football player the Gators' coaching staff knew the Lauderdale Lakes Boyd Anderson alum could become. Jenkins weighed 168 pounds when he reported to UF last year. Now, after one year in the Gators' program, he's up to 186 pounds.

"For whatever reason, Moses was one of those guys that came in to the program a little behind everybody," Marotti said. "But he's really getting it now and he's finally putting some weight on. He's learned what it takes to be tough and he's really improved. He's a totally different football player now than when he got here."

Two years ago, back when I was covering preps in Broward County for The Herald, I was in Boyd Anderson's auditorium when Jenkins shocked a lot of people and signed with the Gators. After covering Broward preps for two years, I certainly knew Moses had the potential to be an SEC football player (he made my All-Broward first team, after all) but most of the recruiting websites didn't know what to think of Jenkins. He was lean (165 pounds) and unheralded.

Jenkins is now starting to grow into his 6-3 frame. Don't be surprised this fall after two-a-days when Jenkins is named a back-up to either Wondy Pierre-Louis or Joe Haden. Jenkins played last season against LSU when the Gators went to the nickel and Jenkins had two highlights late in the win against FSU (a sack and a pass break-up). It's too bad Jenkins wasn't redshirted last season but, hey, that's a testament to how thin UF's secondary depth chart really was.

Gator Clause will also keep an eye on this idea: We haven't heard anything official about Moses helping out at safety this year but it makes perfect since considering Jenkins' size and the lack of depth at the position. Jenkins is versatile enough to play safety but needs to improve his tackling to be a viable option at the position.

-jo-

Top Five Newcomers: No.1 Emmanuel Moody

If you're reading this blog for the first time today, then you've already missed our five-part blog series on the football team's top five newcomers. Don't worry. You can catch up. Just click on the names of the previous "Top Five Newcomers" right here:

NO.2 OMAR HUNTER, NO.3 CARL MOORE, NO.4 WILL HILL, NO.5 MATT PATCHAN

GAINESVILLE -- No.1 on our list of top newcomers is USC transfer running back Emmanuel Moody. We here at Gator Clause don't necessarily think Moody is the best addition to the Gators' roster, but we do believe that Moody's potential impact is greater than any newcomer.

Why, exactly? Well, the Gators start and stop with the success and health of Tim Tebow and Moody, if he's productive, might be the guy that keeps Tebow out of the trainer's room this season and on the field. That's right. The more Moody carries the ball the less likely the Gators' superstar quarterback gets injured.

Tebow didn't miss a game last season but that doesn't mean he didn't sustain injury. Tim received shots of a painkiller in his right (none throwing) shoulder for much of the season. He then broke his non-throwing hand against Florida State.

Even more than a better defense, a healthy Tebow is what the Gators need to win a national championship. Moody, the USC transfer who redshirted last season, might be the key. Moody showed glimpses of his potential his freshman season at USC. He had several solid games before being limited by injuries.

A digression here: I'm still scratching my head as to why, exactly, Moody transferred to Florida. He says he left USC to become a featured running back but a featured back is one thing Urban Meyer's and Dan Mullen's offense does not produce. Moody might be the first, who knows? But I doubt it.

Moody probably should have gone to North Carolina if he wanted 20+ carries a game. Why do we mention all of this? We're wondering if Moody will become a distraction if he doesn't get the amount of carries he needs to feel like a major contributor. Moody could have stayed at USC if he wanted a chance to win a national title. He wants to run the ball and the guy isn't afraid to speak his mind, something most UF players do not do.

We'll keep an eye on Moody's morale during preseason practice and two-a-days. If you believe Urban Meyer (which I don't in this case), then the starting running back position isn't even Moody's right now. According to Meyer, Kestahn Moore is still the starter. Meyer swears by Moore. This is strange because if Meyer went back and watched at few game films from last season, then he would be swearing at the fumbles Moore coughed up in close games. Our guess: Meyer is just playing head games with Moody. Meyer got on Moody's case after he fumbled in the end zone during the spring game. It seems like flawed logic that Meyer would berate Moody publicly for one fumble in a spring game but still allow Moore to be on the team after the costly fumbles last season. (A side note to this Moody-Moore situation. The two Texans played against each other in little league football.)

OK, digression over. Back on topic...Moody, more than any newcomer, is the key to the Gators' success in 2008. When Moody first showed up last season, all Meyer would say to him when they ran into each other in the football facility was, "I sure hope you're good." There was a reason for that.

[Check out this SI cover from 2007. That's Moody on the left. Instead of splitting time at USC last year, he decided to transfer to UF and sit out a season. Wonder if Moody will make the 2008 SI college football preview cover as a Gator this time around?]

-jo-

Opinion Polls & Market Research

Philly drafts Speights with 16th pick; Six Gators drafted in two years

GAINESVILLE -- Congrats to former Florida Gators center Marreese Speights, who was drafted by  Philadelphia tonight with the Sixers' No.16 pick in the first round. Speights is the 10th Florida Gator to be drafted in the first round and the eighth under current coach Billy Donovan.

"I want to thank my family and the Gator basketball staff for helping me be in a position to be picked 16th by Philadelphia. I look forward to working extremely hard and developing into the best player I can become," Speights said. "I know this won't be easy but I am ready for the challenge."

What's more remarkable: Speights being selected in the first round or six -- That's right, SIX! -- Gators being drafted by NBA teams in the last two years?

Here's a better question. Will the streak of Gators being drafted continue next season? Like Speights, Will Nick Calathes go pro after his sophomore season? Calathes is in Athens this week trying out for the Greek Olympic basketball team. Calathes is expected to make the team but the Greeks will have a tough road to qualify for the Beijing Games. Here's request to the Greeks. Please teach Calathes how to dunk.

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Opinion Polls & Market Research

Guess where Chris Leak is at now

GAINESVILLE -- Here's a quick update of your favorite national championship MVP. Former Florida quarterback Chris Leak signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League earlier this week.

Leak, for those of you who have already forgotten, is the quarterback who led Florida to the 2006 national championship. In the process, Leak taught current Florida quarterback Tim Tebow everything he knows.

We had hoped to see Leak behind center back in The Swamp with Team Florida of the AAFL, but the AAFL put its operation on hold and Leak was forced to find work elsewhere. The CFL is a good start for Leak, who went undrafted in the 2007 NFL Draft. Doug Flutie, another shorty, got his start in the CFL and Flutie is now a CFL Hall of Famer.

Leak is one of five quarterbacks, including former Hawaii QB Timmy Chang, trying to make the Hamilton Tiger-Cats' roster. No word yet on whether or not Leak and Chang have picked up where Tebow and former Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan left off last season: Who's the better system quarterback? Maybe the Hamilton Tiger-Cats will finally find an answer to this important question -- end the debate once and for all. In a related thought, is a Tiger-Cat like a Thunder Cat?

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Meet Shaka Smart: He's OK with Calathes never dunking

GAINESVILLE -- Gator Clause caught up with Florida assistant basketball coach Shaka Smart on Tuesday. Smart, formerly of Clemson, was hired on Monday and made the rounds on Tuesday, speaking with reporters and radio stations in Gainesville.

Smart replaces Lewis Preston on coach Billy Donovan's staff. Only 31 years old, Smart is considered one of the profession's rising stars. Such a thorough interview might seem a little excessive for an assistant coach, but Gator Clause wanted to give readers a closer look at a young college basketball coach who has the potential to be one of the biggest names in college hoops. Smart is Donovan's third assistant behind Larry Shyatt and Rob Lanier.

GATOR CLAUSE: It has been a quick and steady climb up the ranks for you as a coach. What is your greatest asset?

SMART: I would say my willingness to work extremely hard and to learn.

GC: What was your connection to Florida before being hired by Coach Donovan?

SMART: I had a really good relationship with Rob Lanier and I’ve known Coach Shyatt for a few years. I really didn’t know Coach Donovan very well but through my relationship with Rob I was able to speak with Coach Donovan about the job.

GC: What is the most important thing a Magna cum laude graduate learns while he is in college?

SMART: Probably the biggest thing I learned is that the more you learn the more you realize there is so much more to learn. As a kid out of high school, you feel like you’re on top of the world and you know it all. But all the things you gain as you become an adult teaches you that there’s a lot more out there you need to learn.

GC: For all the youngsters out there who think they’re going to be the next Michael Jordan, how did academics get you to where you are today?

SMART: There’s a parallel between excellent athletics and excellent academics. To be an extremely good basketball player, to be the next Michael Jordan or just to make the NBA you have to work extremely hard, you have to be dedicated to your skills and your body. So, it’s no different than what it takes to be a good student. You have to put the time in to be a good student in the classroom. And there are some people components to it as well. You have to be a good teammate.  

GC: Last book you read?

SMART: Well, I’m one of those guys who is reading about three books at one time. So, I would say the last full book I finished was called The Power of Intention by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer. His basic premise is if you decide what you want in your life and you place everything in line with that goal, then it’s going to work out for you.

GC: Do college basketball student-athletes play too many video games?

SMART: [Laughs] It seems to be the thing to do. I learned a while back in recruiting that it’s not good to fight the guys on that one. If you can’t beat them, join them. I never was really good at video games but when kids come on campus and they want to play some video games with the players then I’m all about it. For some guys, that’s their way to get to know guys in a relaxed environment.

GC: Shaka Smart is a name easily remembered. Is there a story behind that handle?

SMART: It’s an African name. There was a man named Shaka who united a large group of people in southern Africa, so my father decided to name me after him.

GC: Greatest moment on the court as a player?

SMART: I wasn’t the best player in the world but I just loved playing the game. I was one of those guys who would just be on the court forever if you let them. But the biggest thing for me was helping my teammates, so one game in high school I had 20 assists in one game. So, that worked out well for us.

GC: Being an assist man yourself, what’s the best assist you could pass off to Nick Calathes in your first month on the job?

SMART: Nick had an extremely successful freshman year, so the best thing I can say to him and any of the freshmen is that the biggest jump you should make in college is from your freshman to sophomore years because now you have a year under you, you understand the way the SEC works, you understand college basketball at the highest level. So, if you’re willing to do the things you need to do over the summer to better your game and improve your body then you’re putting yourself into position to improve your body.

GC: Can you please teach him how to dunk?

SMART: Last time I checked a dunk is only worth two points.

GC: Greatest moment on the court as a coach?

SMART: We beat Duke last March in the ACC Tournament. Clemson hadn’t been to the ACC championship since 1962 and we beat Duke in the ACC semifinals to get to the championship game and that really validated a lot of things for us and what we were doing at Clemson.

GC: Worst moment on the court as a coach?

SMART: You remember the bad moments, too. One story that is significant to our staff here: While I was at Clemson we played Virginia and Rob Lanier was on staff there. Virginia had two really good guards that year. We were up by 15 points with four minutes left — maybe five — at home and they came back and beat us. That might have been the lowest I felt as a coach because when you’re up that much as a coach you feel like we need to bring this one home.

GC: Ever been ‘T’ed up?

SMART: Never. I know my role as an assistant coach, and it’s not my role to voice my opinions with a ref.

GC: I’m leaning toward going to Miami to be a shooting guard. Sell me on the Gators.

SMART: Billy Donovan. We got the best coach in the country and we have an unbelievable fan base and coach Donovan is going to let you play. He really does a good job of letting people do what they do best on the court. So this is a place you can come and thrive.

GC: I’m leaning toward going to Clemson to be a shooting guard. Sell me on the Gators.

SMART: That would be a tough one because anytime you leave a place you certainly want to leave on good terms and leave with a strong relationship with the people you just left. But Florida is the place to be for the same reasons I just gave you. It doesn’t really matter whom we’re recruiting against. Those things aren’t going to change. I don’t believe in negative recruiting. I firmly believe in showing a kid why the University of Florida is the best fit in the country for that young man.

GC: Do you plan to keep open lines of communication with recruiting contacts you made while at Clemson?

SMART: Of course. You have to do that. You want to take advantage of any contacts you have. There are still contacts I have from when I was a Division II coach. All of sudden an AAU coach has a high-level player. That’s one of the things you do as you go in this business: Just build more and more contacts. Plus, when you go to new jobs you have to branch out and be willing to make connections and build relationship with new people.

GC: Everyone in your profession has a mentor. Who was your mentor off the court?

SMART: Probably Bill Brown, who recruited me to play at Kenyon College and then left after my freshman year. It broke my heart but I forgave him and actually went to work for him right out of college at a school called California University of Pennsylvania. He’s a person who taught me a great deal about life and basketball but mostly importantly about treating people the right way. I still speak to him about every week. 

GC: Coach Donovan has a history of grooming young and talented assistant coaches into young and talented head coaches. You’re a smart guy. Is that part of the reason you wanted to come to Florida?

SMART: There are three reasons I wanted to come to Florida. One, I wanted to be a part of a basketball program that has done tremendous things in the recent past and also has aspirations to do more tremendous things in the future. The second reason is to be around a great group of people. The vibe on this staff and team draws you to it. The third reason I came is the opportunity to learn a great deal while I’m here but also contribute and help this team win as many games as possible and find as much success as we can.

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PRIMETIME: Miami at Florida set for 8 p.m. (Book your hotels now!)

GAINESVILLE -- It's going to be crazy in Gainesville for the second Saturday of the season. The SEC released its tentative television schedule on Tuesday and Florida hosts Miami at 8 p.m. on Sept. 6. ESPN will carry the rivalry game.

(I hope everyone realizes what this means. If you're driving up for the game and you plan on getting a hotel, then you better go ahead and book your room now. The Swamp is going to be absolutely rocking by the time kickoff rolls around and no one is going to want to drive back down Florida's Turnpike after that.)

FLORIDA SEASON OPENER
Bring your sunscreen to the season opener. Florida begins the season against Hawaii with a 12:30 p.m. kickoff on Aug. 30.

ABC and ESPN and ESPN2 apparently passed on Florida-Hawaii, leaving Raycom with the first-week leftovers. (And I thought Hawaii-Florida was a pretty intriguing game. Shows what I know.)

I understand the reasoning for ABC and ESPN passing over Florida-Hawaii. ABC is airing Alabama-Clemson (8 p.m.) in Atlanta. (No shocker there.) ESPN is hoping Appalachian State can repeat last season magic and upset another national power. This time it would be LSU in Death Valley at 6:45 p.m. App State took down Michigan last season but only one or two people watched the game on live television (Big Ten Network).

But you know Florida gets absolutely no respect from national television execs when ESPN2 opts for Mississippi State vs. Louisiana Tech over Florida-Hawaii. What a joke, right? Florida STILL has a kid named Tim Tebow. Did somebody at ESPN forget that shortly after airing the Heisman Trophy ceremony?

ANYWAY, guess ESPN didn't want to double book Florida two weekends in a row. Here's the rest of the tentative SEC television schedule.

Date                 Time         Network  Game

(Thu.) Aug. 28  7 p.m         ESPNU      Vanderbilt at Miami (Ohio)

(Thu.) Aug. 28  8 p.m.        ESPN        N.C. State at South Carolina

(Sat.) Aug. 30 12:30 p.m. Raycom   Hawaii at Florida

(Sat.) Aug. 30  5 p.m.        ESPN       Appalachian State at LSU

(Sat.) Aug. 30  6:45 p.m.  ESPN2    Miss. State at La. Tech

(Sat.) Aug. 30  8 p.m.        ABC       Alabama vs. Clemson (Atlanta)

(Sun.) Aug. 31  3:30 p.m.  ESPN       Kentucky at Louisville

(Mon.) Sept. 1  8 p.m.        ESPN       Tennessee at UCLA

(Thu.) Sept. 4  8:30 p.m.    ESPN       South Carolina at Vanderbilt

(Sat.) Sept. 6    12:30 p.m. Raycom   Southern Mississippi at Auburn

(Sat.) Sept. 6    3:30 p.m.    ABC        Ole Miss at Wake Forest

(Sat.) Sept. 6  8 p.m.        ESPN     Miami at Florida

(Sat.) Sept. 13  12:30 p.m.  Raycom UAB at Tennessee

(Sat.) Sept. 13  3:30 p.m.     CBS       Georgia at South Carolina

(Sat.) Sept. 13  3:30 p.m.     ABC    Arkansas at Texas

(Sat.) Sept. 13  7 p.m.          ESPN2  Auburn at Mississippi State      

(Sat.) Sept. 20  8:13 p.m.     ABC      Georgia at Arizona State

(Thu.) Oct. 23  7:30 p.m.     ESPN     Auburn at West Virginia

(Fri.) Nov. 28    12:30 p.m.  Raycom Mississippi State at Ole Miss

(Fri.) Nov. 28    2:30 p.m.     CBS      LSU at Arkansas (Little Rock)

(Sat.) Dec. 6      4 p.m.         CBS     SEC Championship Game (Atlanta, Ga.)

All Times Eastern

Tentative and Subject to Change

Additional games to be added as become available

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Florida hoops adds former Clemson assistant; Shaka Smart has ear of No.1-ranked 2009 prospect

GAINESVILLE -- Florida basketball coach Billy Donovan quickly filled his assistant coaching vacancy over the weekend with the hiring of former Clemson assistant Shaka Smart.

Smart replaces Preston Lewis, who took a job with Penn State last week. Before Clemson, Smart coached at Dayton and then Akron. Smart joins current Florida assistants Larry Shyatt and Rob Lanier in Gainesville.

This is a nice hire for the University of Florida. Smart, 31, joins Donovan's staff with a strong resume despite being a relatively young assistant. Clemson experienced an upswing last season and Smart, we assume, had a hand in that turnaround. He is considered to be one of the nation's best young recruiters and that's key heading into the month of July, when coaches fan out across the nation and scout AAU tournaments for talent.

Smart could pay immediate dividends for Donovan and the Gators if the new assistant could persuade North Carolina prep prospect John Wall to take a closer look at the Gators. Wall (6-4, 184 pounds), who is ranked by Rivals.com as the No.1-ranked prospect of 2009, is uncommitted but lists Clemson and Florida as two of his top three schools (according to Rivals).

If Smart can't steer Wall towards Florida, then maybe the new Florida assistant can make inroads with South Florida shooting sensation Kenny Boynton Jr.

Boynton Jr. (nationally ranked No.10 by Rivals for the class of 2009) played at Plantation American Heritage last season with Florida commitment Eloy Vargas. The two players are friends and compete together during the summer months. Despite the access to Boynton Jr., Florida hasn't been able to persuade the shooter, who began his career at Pompano Beach Blanche Ely, to think about playing for the Gators.

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Cops' message to Noah: Stay out of Gainesville

GAINESVILLE -- Joakim Noah's recent visit to Gainesville couldn't have gone much worse. So much for returning to campus and expecting to be treated like a king.

First, Noah (now with the Chicago Bulls) gets busted by the Gainesville Police Department for open container and misdemeanor possession (one little 'J'). Next, Noah gets harassed by the University of Florida police. The campus cops tagged Noah with two traffic citations: driving with a suspended license and not wearing a seat belt....ARE YOU KIDDING ME!

This is Joakim Noah we're talking about here, folks. Give the guy a break. First the cops search him for no good reason (It's JOAKIM NOAH) and then he gets pulled over for not wearing his seat belt (It's JOAKIM NOAH). Cops, man. Alls I got to say. Freaking cops. For some reason I don't think Jeremy Foley or Urban Meyer gets pulled over in Gainesville for not wearing a seat belt.

It's time to wake up, Gainesville cops [pictured]. Noah is the face of Florida athletics. Nationally (and internationally), JOAKIM NOAH is bigger -- WAY BIGGER -- than Tim Tebow. You're supposed to treat this guy like a king. Instead, the cops are sweating Noah like he's Public Enemy No.1. It's not like Noah is inconspicuous. It's not like cops don't pull over Joakim Noah and not already know that they're pulling over JOAKIM NOAH.

I mean, what are we to believe. That maybe Noah got away with murder while he was a star at Florida and now that he's a professional the Gainesville cops are thinking pay back. The message is clear. In the eternal words of JOAKIM NOAH himself: It's time to "get your light feet going."

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NCAA 09 overall ratings: Florida, Miami, FSU, UGA, LSU and Tenn.; Tebow leads all with 99

HERE'S SOMETHING WE CAN ALL ARGUE ABOUT ...

GAINESVILLE -- For those video game nuts out there, here's a sneak peek at some individual player ratings for NCAA '09. Florida quarterback Tim Tebow has an overall rating of 99. Percy Harvin has a speed rating of 98.

Some random thoughts: Florida tight end Cornelius Ingram isn't rated among the Gators' best...LSU defensive end Ricky Jean-Francois appears to be underrated...Florida linebacker Dustin Doe is overrated...What, no Drew Weatherford?...A punter is Tennessee's second highest rated player...Georgia's video-game likeness looks pretty stinking good.

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FLORIDA

Tim Tebow, junior, quarterback 99

Percy Harvin, junior, wide receiver 96

Brandon Spikes, junior, middle linebacker 95

Dustin Doe, junior, outside linebacker 93

Phil Trautwein, redshirt senior, offensive tackle 92

Jim Tartt, senior, offensive guard 91

Maurkice Pouncey, sophomore, offensive guard 91

MIAMI

Eric Moncur, senior, defensive end, 93 (Miami)

Randy Phillips, senior, cornerback, 92 (Belle Glade)

Lavon Ponder, senior, safety, 91 (Miami)

Colin McCarthy, junior, outside linebacker, 91

Jason Fox, junior, offensive tackle, 90

Graig Cooper, sophomore, running back, 88

Darryl Sharpton, junior, linebacker, 88 (Coral Gables)

FLORIDA STATE

Myron Rolle, sophomore, rover (strong safety), 97

Derek Nicholson, junior, middle linebacker, 94

Everette Brown, redshirt sophomore, defensive end, 94

Antone Smith, junior, running back, 92 (Pahokee)

Marcus Ball, sophomore, outside linebacker, 92

Preston Parker, sophomore, wide receiver, 92 (Delray Beach)

Patrick Robinson, sophomore, cornerback, 91 (Miami) 

GEORGIA

Knowshon Moreno, sophomore, running 96

Dannell Ellerbe, senior, middle linebacker 95

Asher Allen, junior, cornerback 95

Jeff Owens, senior, defensive tackle 95 (Plantation)

Trinton Sturdivant, sophomore, offensive tackle 93

Matthew Stafford, junior, quarterback 93

Prince Miller, junior, cornerback 92

LOUISIANA STATE

Herman Johnson, redshirt senior, offensive guard, 96

Tyson Jackson, senior, defensive end, 93

Darry Beckwith, senior, middle linebacker, 95

Curtis Taylor, senior, free safety, 94

Ciron Black, junior, left tackle, 94

Al Woods, junior, defensive tackle, 93

Kirston Pittman, senior, defensive end 93

TENNESSEE

Demonte Bolden, senior, defensive tackle, 94

Britton Colquitt, senior, punter, 94

Robert Ayers, senior, defensive end, 94

Eric Berry, sophomore, defensive back, 94

Rico McCoy, junior, outside linebacker, 91

Lucas Taylor, senior, wide receiver, 91
Josh McNeil, junior, center, 89

Hornsby's career likely done at Florida

LINK TO THE STORY: UF football player charged in credit card fraud

GAINESVILLE -- Nice knowing you, Jamar Hornsby. Well, not really.

Hornsby was accused on Friday of using the BP gas card of Ashley Slonina, a UF student who died in a motorcycle accident in October 2007 along with Florida walk-on quarterback Michael Guilford. If true, that's pretty much one of the most disgusting things I've ever written. My fingertips feel dirty just typing it.

Imagine the Slonina family. Imagine receiving that credit card statement every month for the last six months. Tragic.

What's most bizarre about all this is that Slonina was the girlfriend of Florida cornerback Joe Haden. How did Hornsby get Slonina's credit card? According to Slonina's father, Hornsby took the card from Ashley Slonina's apartment while helping the family remove her personal belongings one day after the accident.

Hornsby emerged from spring football as a back-up safety to Major Wright. Florida coach Urban Meyer praised Hornsby this spring for showing signs of his potential. So much for that. There's no way Meyer can save Hornsby now.

Florida has lost two safeties in as many weeks. Back-up Jerimy Finch was recently granted permission to transfer.

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Hoops gains a player; Football loses one

A FEW NOTES...

GAINESVILLE -- The Gators' basketball team will likely fill the loss of center Marreese Speights with a transfer from Georgetown. Vernon Macklin (6-9, 230 pounds) visited Gainesville last weekend and is apparently ready to enroll. Macklin, who averaged 3.4 ppg and 2.1 rpg last season for the Hoyas, will have to sit out a season due to NCAA transfer rules. Macklin played with Speights at the prep-school level (Hargrave Military in Chatham, Va.), so he's got to be pretty smart.

In football news, reserve linebacker Jerimy Finch (the guy who broke his leg in the fourth quarter against Tennessee last season) is reportedly transferring out. Finch, who Urban Meyer said was struggling academically, was buried on the linebacker depth chart at UF but will likely play safety elsewhere...perhaps Indiana.

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Gators' rookie-camp roundup: Leak asking God for help

AROUND NFL ROOKIE CAMPS...

In Kansas City, former Florida Gators quarterback Chris Leak is asking God to help him make the Chiefs' 70-man summer roster. Leak, who went undrafted in 2007, was cut by the Bears last year before getting involved with the AAFL, the has-beens league that never happened. Said Leak: "I'll leave it in the Lord's hands." It's probably time Leak accepted his fate and became a quarterbacks coach for Illinois.

In Tampa, safety Kyle Jackson (pictured) is trying to make the Bucs' 80-man team. Jackson was benched his senior season at Florida in favor of a true freshman. No word yet if the Bucs are fitting Jackson with a special helmet. In Nashville, Florida's other former (car-boosting) safety, Tony Joiner, is serving as a tackling dummy for football players who actually have a shot at making an NFL roster.

One of Gator Clause's favorite former Gators, offensive lineman Carlton "Package Store" Medder is trying out for the Arizona Cardinals. Medder used to make me laugh out loud when he would show up for Monday press conferences wearing -- no lie -- a discount card for a Gainesville liquor store around his neck. Medder should fit right in with Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinhart. Or maybe not. That would be one crowded hot tub.

Former Florida offensive lineman Drew Miller is in Jacksonville with defensive end Derrick Harvey. Miller actually has a pretty good shot of making the Jags' practice squad, where he would presumably go up against Harvey every day in practice.

In Cincinnati, former UF receiver Andre Caldwell is being praised daily for not being Chad Johnson or Chris Henry.

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Gators to raise awareness for charities with strength-and-agility competition

GAINESVILLE -- Anyone ever stumble across a cable TV show called Ninja Warrior while flipping through the channels? Hilarious stuff. Basically, it's a Japanese reality show aimed at exploiting dorks. The producers find the weirdest people possible (this is just me assuming everyone in Japan is not like the people on this show) and run the freaks through obstacle courses suspended about 10 feet above some nasty, muddy water. See dork run. See dork fall. See dork splash. Repeat.

Now imagine the freaks on Florida's football team running around and risking bodily harm for your entertainment. (OK, I realize that happens every Saturday in the fall.) ANYWAY, part of Florida's annual summer workout rigors always include a strength-and-agility competition. This is nothing new. What is new is that the competition is open to the public this summer and will take place at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Friday, July 25. Mark your calendars.

The athletic department is calling the event "Friday Night Lights," or some derivative of that. According to one of the football players, a large portion of the football team is going to split into six groups and compete against each other in several different athletic disciplines: Pulling tires, roller derby, four square, calf roping, etc... The winners get nothing. They're amateurs, duh. Each team, however, will "represent" a charity already associated with Shands Medical Center. For some reason, the UAA was hesitant to say the football team was going to raise money for charities. Apparently, the NCAA frowns on raising money for anyone accept the NCAA.

Here's hoping that the athletic department let's crazy ol' coach Urban Meyer design a bizarre obstacle course in the vein of Ninja Warrior. Or, better yet, here's hoping Urban Meyer competes with the dorks of Team Sportwriter against his own players. Now, that would be weird. (All in the name of charity, of course.)

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