My beloved 14 Bloggees...we added one....keep 'em coming,
This week I went to scout our December 20th opponent, Jacksonville University who played at Samford and beat them 60 - 49. http://samfordsports.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/stats/2010-2011/sam1124.html I have some bad news for Gator fans. The Dolphins are the type of team that will give us problems. They are excellent, in-your-face athletic defenders that created 21 turnovers, 14 of them being steals. Not only do they defend around the basket, but they were excellent defending around the perimeter. They play Auburn this weekend....I have seen them both, take the JU Dolphins.
It looks like our opponent on December 22nd will be a gimme. Radford is 2-2 with their wins against Ann Landers U and Nancy Drew State (Emory and Henry & Methodist). When they played South Carolina and George Mason they lost 85 - 56 and 81 - 55 respectively. http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/teams/raa/schedule However, we can't forget last year's South Alabama's upset in front of the Rowdy Reptiles.
Baylor only beat Lipscomb by 12. http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/recap?gid=201011220050 . It was a battle of head coaches whose fathers were also head coaches. We know that Scott Drew is the son of Valpariso legend, Homer Drew. Which former SEC head coach's son leads Lipscomb? ............."The Man in Plaid", Wimp Sanderson, whose son, Scott, coaches the Nashville school.
Udonis Haslem is likely out for the year. http://www.gatorsports.com/article/20101123/ARTICLES/101129813/1136?Title=Haslem-8217-s-season-may-be-over . He is such a warrior on the court and will be sorely missed by the Heat's Big Three. A lot of people tell me that they can't watch the NBA, however, I tune in whenever I get a chance to see Haslem and the Heat play. I will never forget Haslem's clutch free throws in the last minute of the miracle NCAA win against Butler in 2000....it made Mike Miller's historical shot relevant.
Either Georgia is bad or BYU is great......Miss Valley State only lost 72 - 70 at Georgia but lost 86 - 36 at BYU. http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/teams/mbe/schedule
Either Wake Forest is bad or Belmont is great.......Winthrop won at Wake Forest 83 - 74 but lost to Belmont 71 - 44. http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/teams/way/schedule
We'll finish off with some pigskin NFL Gator news. Jarvis Moss, who changed all of our lives with his blocked field goal against South Carolina in National Championship Season # 2, was a bust with Denver after being drafted in the first round. He was waived recently by the Broncos but picked up by my Raiders, with the help of a recommendation by Louis Murphy http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/11/24/jarvis-moss-joins-raiders-as-de-after-getting-glowing-recommenda/
Here is a name from the recent past. Kestahn Moore, whose critical fumbles at LSU still "Bucknerize" Gator fans, signed onto the practice squad with the Washington Redskins. http://www.footballnewsnow.com/2010/redskins-have-busy-tuesday-shuffling-roster/
Earlier in the month, the San Francisco 49ers signed DeShawn Wynn to their practices squad. http://www.footballnewsnow.com/2010/49ers-sign-receiver-and-running-back-release-two/ I looked up the word "underachiever" in the dictionary and there was DeShawn's picture. What talent he had in Gainesville, but apparently without a valentine pumping underneath the numbers. Let's hope he turns it around in the Bay area...we know that Mike Singletary only puts up with 100 % effort.
FYI, the weather is miserable in Birmingham this morning, cold and rainy. That means it will be the same in nearby Tuscaloosa for today's Iron Bowl. The good news is that if we can't beat the Tide, at least we can enjoy their fans being miserable. Go Cam!
Enjoy and Beat FSU Saturday and Sunday,
Barry
