Heisman Prognostication

Lev Davidovich Wuerffel    College Football, Florida Gators, Sports     BCS, Colt McCoy, Heisman, Sam Bradford, Tim Tebow

The Heisman will be awarded tonight, and my esteemed co-writer no longer has a vote, so that’s one less for Timmy, I presume. I figure Tim will end up third, actually. Despite all the talk we’re hearing about it here in the Southeast, where I live, most voters are going to be swayed by the bigger numbers of the Big 12 duo of Bradford and McCoy. I figure it’s Bradford first, then McCoy and Timmy.

And really that’s as it should be. For years the Heisman has been about gaudy offensive numbers. That’s why uninspiring players such as Andre Ware and Ty Detmer and Eric Crouch have won. Timmy’s reward is in Heaven, aka the BCS Championship Game.  What are your thoughts and predictions, o readers?

Thank you Mack Brown

GoneGator    College Football     Mack Brown

How about this little nugget out of Fort Worth: “Mack Brown votes for Florida ahead of Texas, OU”. With the Gators edging out Texas by .014 in the final BCS standings, that vote from Coach Brown certainly helped.

Time for My Picks

GoneGator    College Football, Prognostication    

My picks in today’s games that matter, or matter to me — Florida over Alabama by 10, Oklahoma over Missouri by 17, Boston College over Virginia Tech by 4.

If They Lose, Don’t Call Them “CHokies”

GoneGator    College Football     Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech can win an ACC championship today. That would be an amazing accomplishment after losing 12 starters from last season, including eight NFL draft picks. So if the Hokies lose, don’t call it a choke. Call it a building block for a team that features 12 underclassmen on its two-deep offensive roster.

‘Noles Taste Like Chicken

Lev Davidovich Wuerffel    College Football    

But without all that stringy tendon and such. Oh, you know, over the years I should stop enjoying so deeply the flavor of another groin-stomping of the Seminoles, and yet I just don’t seem to ever be able to get enough. The worst thing is that taking a shot of Patron Silver for every TD starts to interfere with my ability to go for a variable-speed run tomorrow morning. But I’ll gut out a cup of coffee during my 35-40 minutes of stretching and then get out there.

Alabama Crimson Tide: you bitches is on notice–we’re coming for you next week, and you can’t shoot all of us after the game!!!

My First Disagreement with Obama

Lev Davidovich Wuerffel    College Football, Politics     Barack Obama, NCAA playoff

I kind of sat on this major policy difference I have with the now president-elect while I was canvassing for him and supporting him in the 24 hours from when he presented it and when we all made him our new king, but now that he’s in this has to be put on the table: Barack HUSSEIN (I’m just sayin’) Obama has declared his support for an eight-team NCAA playoff in college football.

I’m still one of those ancient holdouts who doesn’t really mind the current system that much. I’m not fully against the idea of a playoff if  indeed a way is found to do it that maintains some lower bowl structure and fairly includes the truly best teams (not as easy as it sounds). But you’d have a hard time convincing me that the best team didn’t come out on top in the last five years. The last time a team that had no business winning got over was probably Ohio State in 2001, and even then the problem wasn’t that they were in the game but that the ref boned the ‘Canes with his late bullshit interference call. Anyway, when Barry starts pushing for the playoff, I’ll be standing athwart him for the first time.

Racist asshole booted for Obama slur

GoneGator    College Football     Facebook, Racism, Texas Longhorns

Yesterday, Texas reserve center Buck Burnette lost his spot on the Longhorns football team when coach Mack Brown booted him for “violation of team rules.”

Today, the world discovered the real reason for Burnette’s dismissal: He’s a racist asshole.

After Barack Obama’s victory in the presidential election, here’s what Burnette posted on his Facebook page (which mysteriously disappeared earlier today):

“all the hunters gather up, we have a #$%&er in the whitehouse”

What kind of idiot in this ultra-connected, socially networked world doesn’t realize that Facebook status updates are broadcast not only to your friends, but well beyond? Did Buck really think none of his friends would spread his inflamatory, ignorant statement to the masses?

Did he not consider how his former African-American teammates might feel about such hateful words?

And check out the apology Burnette issued on his Facebook page before it vanished:

“Clearly I have made a mistake and apologized for it and will pay for it. I received it as a text message from an acquaintance and immaturely put it up on Facebook in the light of the election. I’m not racist and apologize for offending you …

You’re not racist? So what motivated you to share your buddy’s text message with the world?

“… I grew up on a ranch in a small town where that was a real thing and I need to grow up …

Oh, so it was just the kid in you speaking. Please, continue.

“… I sincerely am sorry for being ignorant in thinking that it would be OK to write that publicly and apologize to you in particular. I have to be more mature than to put the reputation of my team at stake and to spread that kind of hate which I don’t even believe in. Once again, I sincerely apologize.”

Such an empty, backhanded apology only makes this sad situation worse. We’re obviously talking about a person who is very comfortable using the N word, who runs with others who casually use the N word. (I bet many of those friends are ready to kick Buck’s ass for even apologizing.)

Don’t be shocked in the least that this sort of sentiment is being expressed publicly. Frankly, I expect more stories like this in days and weeks to come.

Especially in Texas. We’re talking about a state in which 23 percent of residents believe Obama is a Muslim, according to a statewide survey last month conducted by the University of Texas. Oh, the irony, Buck.

Coach Brown — major kudos to you for acting swiftly to kick Burnette off the team. It was the right thing to do to preserve team unity.

Buck — I do hope you grow up and join society. You’ve got too much life left to spend it as a hater.

Of Gators and presidential politics

GoneGator    College Football, Florida Gators, Politics     Barack Obama, Florida Gators, John McCain, Roanoke, Sarah Palin, Virginia

The next five days could be a boom or bust for me personally.

Saturday afternoon, my Florida Gators take on the Georgia Bulldogs in a game that likely will determine the East representative in the SEC Championship Game. Win Saturday, Gators, and you enter the national championship conversation.

Yet as great as that would be, I’d gladly accept a Gators loss in exchange for a Barack Obama victory next Tuesday.

A good friend and I will be canvassing for Obama this weekend in the very red Roanoke, Virginia region. Life as a Democrat here can be disheartening. Last night, while driving through the countryside and mountains that I call home, I counted dozens of McCain/Palin signs in yards and on rear windows. You know how many Obama signs I saw? One.

This is an area Sarah Palin would call the “real America.” You know, folks who love guns, hate all taxes (even those that pay for their schools, roads, medical care, parks, bridges, etc.), and want to bomb the hell out of every last “towel-head” on the planet. Too many still believe Obama is Muslim. That he wants to take their guns away. That he will tax-and-spend the nation into oblivion. They refuse to listen to evidence of the contrary.

Which is why I fully expect my friend and I will not enjoy the response we get to our efforts.

Please don’t get me wrong — I love the people here. They are warm, friendly, hard-working and down-to-earth. I count many McCain supporters among my best friends. I just wish they’d open their minds a bit more.

So undaunted, we will push forward this weekend. Because while I have no expectation of Obama winning in southwest Virginia, I do think he can compete closely enough to impact the statewide results.

So Go Gators.

Go Barack.

Let’s get a two-fer to remember always!