Jumping Through Hoops...

Gators Aren’t Dead

For those who thought the Florida Gators would have a down year after the departures of Joakim Noah, Corey Brewer, Al Horford, Taurean Green and Lee Humphery seriously underestimated this team. Granted, all the five-some did was win back to back national championships but Billy Donovan has reloaded with a new team that I don’t think you want to play during February and March. Check the SEC standings. Florida is leading the SEC East by a half game over Tennessee. The Gators meet the Vols on February 5th in Knoxville. You get the feeling in the SEC that the Billy Donovan/Bruce Pearl rivalry might turn into on the Phil Fulmer & Steve Spurrier had in football with both schools?

The Gators are extremely young but very talented. The veterans on the Gator team are Junior Walter Hodge and Sophomores Marreese Speights and Dan Werner. But its been the 2 freshman Jai Lucas and Nick Calathes who have shined, especially Calathes whose 117 assists tops the SEC by a significant margin. Calathes also leads the team in scoring averaging 16 points per game.

Will the Gators make in a three peat? I don’t think so. Final Four, well that wouldn’t surprise me. Florida just might make a run come tournament time.

Who’s The Worst In College Hoops?

Funny you should ask. It’s New Jersey Institute of Technology. The Highlanders are 0-21 this season and have only lost in single digits once, by 9 to Stony Brook on December 10th and Stony Brook has one won only 4 games. I’m sure the atmosphere is electric of N.J.I.T. games are the brand new Prudential Center, the same building the New Jersey Devils call home. Here’s hoping the Highlanders have one highlight this year.

Al Davis Is Senile

Al Davis has lost his mind. Someone needs to tell him it’s not 1968 and Darryl Lamonica is bird hunting somewhere in Northern California, not getting ready for mini-camp. That Cliff Branch now runs a 6.4 40 at age 50 something. That Lester Haynes hands have fallen off from years of stickum abuse.

By now you have heard the Al the terrible has sent a letter to Lane Kiffin requesting his resignation as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders. Kiffin is not budging. I’m having Mike Shanahan flashbacks for 20 years ago when Al Davis fired him and refused to honor the rest of the contract. That will happen to Kiffin or Al Davis’ boys will take Lane Kiffin for a ride and he will never be heard from again.

Al Davis Starter Kit

Finally, Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder is messing with his fantasy team. His head coach, Joe Gibbs, got the hell out. So what does Snyder do? Instead of hiring Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams, he fires him and to be fair, cans Offensive Coordinator Al Saunders. Now Snyder is hiring assistant coaches before he hires a head coach. I think Snyder wants a puppet on the sidelines, so Kermit the Frog is probably the favorite. For me I don’t care. I’m a Dallas Cowboys fan and love to see the hated Redskins in disarray.

Seriously though, Jim Fassel is reportedly the front runner for the job. My guess is that Mr. Snyder will through most of his Millions at Steve Mariucci. Just a hunch.

That’s it, I’m spent.

--John Wilkerson