Still, I'm so pleased for Chris Leak (in the above picture). This guy has his downside--usually its the 3rd quarter--but he's been an outstanding character at Florida for four years. For two years he was a team player under a disaster of a coach who disciplined nobody on the team. Leak then remained a positive force on the team despite having to deal with 3 different offensive coordinators in those 4 years. He didn't lash out at the small pocket of Gator fans who wanted him benched in favor of a true freshman, upstart, quarterback. It's good to see a classy guy get a shot at a national championship.The second guy I'm happy for is the coach, Urban Meyer, III. He's the one getting the Gatorade shower in this picture.
In only two years Meyer turned the Gator football team from a loose collection of hoodlums to SEC Champs. He did something Zook would never have done, he kicked the best defensive lineman off the team. He didn't have to do this (the NCAA rules didn't demand it). My suspicion is that in the years to come stories will begin to slip out about the players' lives who were changed by Meyer's message of self-respect through discipline.
And then there is Kirk Herbstreit . . . the ESPN analyst who knows, knows, that Michigan deserves a second shot at Ohio State. I've been on to this guy for some time now. He's been lobbying hard against the Gators for weeks.
He says it is because he has seen the Gators play in person and it has given him a special gnosis...the Gators aren't good enough. Want an example of his expertise? He picked Miami to be the national champ at the beginning of the season (they finished 6-6). A few weeks ago he decided Louisville was the second best team in the nation and began campaigning for them to play Ohio State. He had seen Louisville play and he knew they were that good. Then they lost to Rutgers. Then he knew USC would beat UCLA and that Arkansas would beat Florida (wrong on both counts). He whiffed on the two biggest games of the day, then he expected everybody to trust his great football instinct.
Now he seems personally offended that nobody listens to the boy who cried "Wolverine" too many times. I've suspected all along that he was looking out for Ohio State's interests (he played for them). He doesn't need to do that. Ohio State is a really good team. The national championship is theirs to lose, regardless of the opponent.
So, my neighbor, Bryan Bucher, is a Buckeye. He and I will be flying back from Houston on the day of the game with all of the other Beeson Pastors. I haven't checked the tickets. I hope we're not stuck in an airport somewhere for the big game. I want to be home where I can cry or celebrate with abandon.
In only two years Meyer turned the Gator football team from a loose collection of hoodlums to SEC Champs. He did something Zook would never have done, he kicked the best defensive lineman off the team. He didn't have to do this (the NCAA rules didn't demand it). My suspicion is that in the years to come stories will begin to slip out about the players' lives who were changed by Meyer's message of self-respect through discipline.And then there is Kirk Herbstreit . . . the ESPN analyst who knows, knows, that Michigan deserves a second shot at Ohio State. I've been on to this guy for some time now. He's been lobbying hard against the Gators for weeks.
He says it is because he has seen the Gators play in person and it has given him a special gnosis...the Gators aren't good enough. Want an example of his expertise? He picked Miami to be the national champ at the beginning of the season (they finished 6-6). A few weeks ago he decided Louisville was the second best team in the nation and began campaigning for them to play Ohio State. He had seen Louisville play and he knew they were that good. Then they lost to Rutgers. Then he knew USC would beat UCLA and that Arkansas would beat Florida (wrong on both counts). He whiffed on the two biggest games of the day, then he expected everybody to trust his great football instinct.Now he seems personally offended that nobody listens to the boy who cried "Wolverine" too many times. I've suspected all along that he was looking out for Ohio State's interests (he played for them). He doesn't need to do that. Ohio State is a really good team. The national championship is theirs to lose, regardless of the opponent.
So, my neighbor, Bryan Bucher, is a Buckeye. He and I will be flying back from Houston on the day of the game with all of the other Beeson Pastors. I haven't checked the tickets. I hope we're not stuck in an airport somewhere for the big game. I want to be home where I can cry or celebrate with abandon.
2 comments:
Can you imagine how great Miami's record would be if we did not have to deal with the police or random drug tests?
At least Miami won't have Coker-heads anymore!
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