All season long these two teams have been watching each other - Florida and Alabama...at some point in the season they have shared the top spot...this game was destined to happen...
Last December 6th, these same two teams played for the same stakes -- the SEC title and a berth in the BCS title game...Alabama came into the game #1 while Florida was #2...Alabama went into the 4th quarter with a 20-17 lead...then Tim Tebow took over and willed his team to the 31-20 victory...
Florida goes into this game as a five point favorite...however, not often does a team get a second chance...this time the Tide rolls - Alabama 23-21
Pat Dooley of the Gainesville Sun writes about the big match-up... "Florida has played in four NC games, so the best argument one can make is that it's the fifth-biggest game in Florida football history. Bigger than 1996 Florida State? Both teams were unbeaten and ranked Nos. 1 and 2. But there was no conference championship on the line, so I would say yes." ...
Ivan Maisel of ESPN.com talked with 4 SEC coaches who stated that Tebow is the difference-maker... "They have one other thing in common, that is, with the fans and the media: They didn't stop talking about Gators senior quarterback Tim Tebow. But on that topic, the coaches' mileage did vary. There was the conventional stance of Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin, who said, "If it wasn't for Tebow, it's easy. Alabama wins the game." ...
Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald expects the game to be decided in the fourth quarter... "Florida trailed Alabama 20-17 after the third quarter but the Gators dominated when it mattered most. Quarterback Tim Tebow made good on his promise and the Gators' defense bullied and embarrassed coach Nick Saban and his Crimson Tide in the fourth quarter." ...
Chase Goodbread of the Tuscaloosa News writes how the Alabama defense must prepare to face Tebow... "So when the University of Alabama linebacker endorses the popular sentiment that Tebow carried the Gators to victory in last year's Southeastern Conference Championship Game, take it from him." ...
Ray Melick of the Birmingham News writes about the differences of each team... "So now we know: If Alabama wins Saturday, it will be because of better coaching; if Florida wins, it will be because of better players." ...
Chase Goodbread writes about the differences from last year's teams... "Offensively, the experience edge clearly falls to the Gators. UF lost its top skill-position threat to the National Football League in Percy Harvin, but that won’t be any different for Alabama, which didn’t see Harvin last year due to an injury." ...
George Diaz of the Orlando Sentinel writes how 1 player is the difference... "Here's the only question that needs to be answered regarding Saturday night's SEC Championship Game in Atlanta. Tim Tebow or Greg McElroy?" ...
Andrea Adelson of the Orlando Sentinel writes about Mark Ingram's chances to be Alabama's first Heisman winner... "In all the storied years of Alabama football, not once has a player won the Heisman Trophy. No one has finished second, either. Its latest hope comes in the form of a 5-foot-10 bowling ball of a running back, a player who has put aside the hardship of an imprisoned father to post one of the best rushing seasons in school history." ...
Here are some of my thoughts about Tiger Woods and his "situation"...
- This affair has finally humanized Tiger...since he shot onto the scene as a young man, he has always tried to control how the public perceives him...this incident shows that he has flaws just like anyone else...
- Let's face reality, whenever a woman, such as Elin Nordgren, marries a superstar, such as Tiger, she should not be stunned to learn, over time, that her husband has cheated on her...superstars such as Tiger, Alex Rodriguez, Kobe Bryant, etc. are multi-millionaires who lose touch with reality...everything is given to them...they stay at the most exclusive hotels and eat the best food...they are told how great they are by the public...this creates an ego that they are untouchable...all this fame and power also brings the aura of invincibility...it also brings women..lots of women...lots of beautiful women who will give anything to have sex with these men...
Over the last few days I have heard these "moral" sports talk show hosts and listeners condemn Tiger for this affair...he has been called a "sleeze" and "scum" by these morally righteous people...it is so easy to rip Tiger but no one knows how any of us would have handled this if we were in his shoes...we don't understand the power of being a superstar...I would by lying if I stated that I would not have an affair if I was some superstar athlete...I don't know how I would react...
Wives of famous athletes should not be shocked to find out "their man" cheated...these wives should not be naive to think their husband are true to their wedding vows...
- I predict that Tiger will not break Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 Grand Slam golf titles...Tiger has 14 titles but over the last year other professional golfers are not as intimidated by him as they were in the past...this incident is just another chink in the once-solid armor of Tiger Woods...
- Ultimately, Tiger did not commit any crime...if people are willing to give a dog killer like Michael Vick a second chance, then they should do the same for Tiger...
Ever wonder who the red-head hottie is in those KGB commercials...well, it's Elizabeth Bogush who is 32-years-old from New Jersey...she has a very small resume as evident by wikipedia: She has appeared in many TV shows, including Titans with Yasmine Bleeth in 2000 and Breadwinners, and she has guest-starred in many more, including Scrubs, Beverly Hills 90210, Felicity, Everybody Loves Raymond, October Road, How I Met Your Mother, and The Adventures of Pete and Pete (the latter being her first role). Most recently, Bogush has appeared in commercials for the text messaging service KGB.
She has gotten everyone talking with her latest KGB commercial when she strips down to her undergarments (see photo above and commercial below) ...personally, she kinds reminds me a bit of Lauren Holly...Bogush was married for the second time in 2005...
The annual Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year will be announced this week...unlike in some year's there are at least six worthy candidates for this high honor...last year Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps was a hands-down unanimous choice for the honor -- well at least until he later got photographed smoking pot from a bong...
Anyway, here are my top five athletes who should be considered for the Sportsman of the Year....
5. Peyton Manning - over the last year Manning is the reigning NFL MVP and he has led his team to a perfect season so far...his career is deserving of an honor such as this...but I believe he will be passed over for now...eventually he will win this award...
4. Mariano Rivera - there is no way Mo will get this honor because he is someone who does not like the spotlight...but he has been the one constant for the New York Yankees from 1996 through 2009...without Rivera, the Yankees would not have won 5 World Series titles...and even at the age of 40, he showed once again this post-season why he is the most important player on the Yankees...
3. Jimmie Johnson - I know nothing about auto racing...but even I know it take someone special to win a title four times in a row...Johnson is probably the most deserving, but I don't see it happened just because he is with auto racing...
2. Roger Federer - this dude should have been the Sportsman of the Year already...he is the most dominant tennis player ever...this past year he finally won the French Open and once again reclaimed th Wimbledon title...he finished the year ranked number 1...his biggest drawback is that he is not American...if Federer was American, he would be more recognized for his greatness...
1. Tim Tebow - I think Tebow will be the 2009 Sportsman of the Year...I know that many people hate this kid...but the fact remains, he is a winner at the college football level...plus, he seems like the "real deal" off the field...sure it is easy to bash Tebow, but I would want his to be the QB on my college team...he epitomizes everything that is good with college sports...Tebow may be a flop in the NFL, but no one can take away his greatness at the college level...that piece of history is secure...
All season long these two teams have been watching each other - Florida and Alabama...at some point in the season they have shared the top spot...this game was destined to happen...
