1 » Former Florida Gators forwards David Lee and Al Horford, now respectively with the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks, competed for the Eastern Conference Sunday night in the 2010 NBA All-Star Game – the first for each player. Assisting their team in its 141-139 victory, Horford scored eight points on 4-for-5 shooting and accounted for four rebounds in 12 minutes of action while Lee made two buckets (2-for-3) for four points and added two rebounds in six minutes. ESPN dished out grades on their performances (really, for an All-Star Game?) and gave Lee a weak C- while propping up Horford with a praiseworthy B+.

2 » The Gainesville Sun‘s Kevin Brockway takes a look at the Gators’ struggles in the month of February since 2005 (hint: the team only has one winning record in those five seasons) in his latest column. “To me it’s pretty clear cut and dry, if you don’t win some of those games, you are not going to deserve to get in and if you do win those games, then you put yourself in the conversation as a team that can maybe get in,” head coach Billy Donovan told Brockway. “So I think our schedule has been a positive thing for us coming down the stretch but now it’s: Can we find a way to win some of those games?”

Tags: Al Horford, All-Star, Atlanta Hawks, Billy Donovan, David Lee, NBA, New York Knicks

Former Florida Gators forwards David Lee and Al Horford, now respectively with the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks, competed for the Eastern Conference Sunday night in the 2010 NBA All-Star Game – the first for each player. Lee and Horford were two of five players representing the Southeastern Conference in the game along with Hawks guard Joe Johnson (Arkansas Razorbacks), Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo (Kentucky Wildcats) and Charlotte Bobcats F Gerald Wallace (Alabama Crimson Tide).

Assisting their team in its 141-139 victory, Horford scored eight points on 4-for-5 shooting and accounted for four rebounds in 12 minutes of action while Lee made two buckets (2-for-3) for four points and added two rebounds in six minutes.

OGGOA interviewed Horford last week about a number of issues including his first NBA All-Star Game appearance, memories from his time at Florida and advice for younger Gators on how to finish the season strong. We forgot to include an audio clip Horford happily gave us promoting the Web site. You can listen to it below.

Al Horford for ONLY GATORS Get Out Alive!

Tags: Al Horford, All-Star, Atlanta Hawks, David Lee, NBA, New York Knicks, SEC

1 » New York Knicks forward/center David Lee, a former Florida Gators standout who is averaging a double-double of 20 points and 11.4 rebounds in his fourth professional season, has been selected as a replacement reserve for the 2010 NBA All-Star Game. Lee will take the place of Philadelphia 76ers point guard Allen Iverson (personal reasons) and will join Atlanta Hawks F/C Al Horford in Dallas, TX.

2 » Former Gators linebacker Brandon Spikes has decided to continue training in Gainesville, FL, as he prepares for the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine at the end of February. His agent, Terry Watson, spoke with The Gainesville Sun about Spikes. “He’s doing well,” Watson said. “He continues to work out hard and he’s eating well. He’s fully committed to a plan that will get him ready for the Combine.” Also in Gainesville working out with Florida strength and conditioning coordinator Mickey Marotti is wide receiver Riley Cooper. “Coach Mick is the best,” Cooper said. “I’m following the same plan Percy (Harvin) did a year ago under Coach Mick.”

Four more very informative Florida Gators BITS after the jump!
Continue Reading » SIX BITS: Lee, Spikes, Cooper, Tebow, Jones-Drew

Tags: Abby Wambach, Al Horford, Algarve Cup, All-Star, Allen Iverson, Allison Hightower, Amanda Butler, Atlanta Hawks, Brandon Spikes, combine, David Lee, Daytona 500, Gatorade Duel, Jacksonville Jaguars, LSU Tigers, Maurice Jones-Drew, Mickey Marotti, NBA, New York Knicks, NFL, O'Connell Center, Philadelphia 76ers, Riley Cooper, SEC, soccer, softball, Steffi Sorensen, Terry Watson, Tim Tebow, USF Wilson-DeMarini Tournament, women's basketball

Atlanta Hawks forward/center Al Horford is in the middle of the third season of what will hopefully be a lengthy NBA career. Averaging career highs in minutes, field goal percentage, free throw percentage and points per game, he was recently selected as a reserve for the 2010 NBA All-Star Game for the first time in his professional career. OGGOA caught up with the two-time National Champion, two-time NCAA Finals Most Valuable Player and member of the 2008 NBA All-Rookie Team while he was on his way to prepare for a game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Horford spoke with us about a variety of topics including his professional success, memories of Florida and advice for younger Gators who are trying to propel the team back into March Madness.

ADAM SILVERSTEIN: The biggest thing going for you right now has to be your selection to your first NBA All-Star Game. How did it feel to earn that honor in only your third season in the league?
AL HORFORD: “It’s a real honor to be nominated to that game. The coaches really have a lot of weight into that decision, and I felt really special that they picked me over a lot of other guys.”

AS: The NBA has been utilizing you to help grow its product abroad. Do you feel any extra pressure in this regard?
AH: “Not really. I think if anything, it’s good. It’s something that, even when I played at Florida, I wanted to put myself in the position to be able to come and play in the NBA. It just feels a good to be a part of the league and a good team.”

Read the rest of our exclusive interview with Al Horford after the jump!
Continue Reading » Atlanta Hawks’ Al Horford: “I tried to act tough.”

Tags: Al Horford, All-Rookie, All-Star, Anthony Grant, Atlanta Hawks, Billy Donovan, Corey Brewer, Joakim Noah, MOP, MVP, NBA, NCAA Tournament, Taurean Green

1 » Former Florida Gators forward/center Al Horford of the Atlanta Hawks has been named as a participant in the 2010 NBA All-Star Game. Though OGGOA is quite pleased with Horford’s accomplishment, we would be remiss if we did not speak out for fellow former Gators F/C David Lee. Lee, who has played with the New York Knicks his entire career, was snubbed by voters after averaging an impressive 19.4 points per game and 11.4 rebounds per game thus far. To his credit, Horford is averaging 13.6 points per game and 9.8 rebounds per game.

2 » The following commits to Florida’s 2010 recruiting class have been named PARADE All-Americans: five-star defensive end Ronald Powell, five-star defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd, five-star safety Matt Elam and four-star cornerback Joshua Shaw.

3 » One aside from the 2010 Under Armour Senior Bowl is that players from the Gators and the Alabama Crimson Tide are playing together on the South team – and they’re having a good time doing it. “We’re getting along really well,” former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow said. “They’re good guys. We’ve had fun, trash-talking back and forth and giving each other a hard time. It’s been a lot of fun. When we break down (after a play), they say, ‘Go Alabama.’ They’ve been trying to get me to say that, but I haven’t yet. It’s been fun.”

Three more BITS including a Florida Gators bobsledder after the jump!
Continue Reading » SIX BITS: All-Star, PARADE, Donovan, bobsled

Tags: Al Horford, Alabama Crimson Tide, All-American, All-Star, Atlanta Hawks, Billy Donovan, bobsled, Catholic University, Central Florida Knights, David Lee, Joshua Shaw, Linder Stadium, Matt Elam, NBA, New York Knicks, Olympics, PARADE, Ring Tennis Complex, Ronald Powell, Senior Bowl, Sharrif Floyd, Steve Mesler, tennis, Tim Tebow, track, Under Armour, William Donovan

1 » In the immediate aftermath of dropping four-star safety Demar Dorsey (Lauderdale Lakes, FL), the Florida Gators contacted three-star tight end commitment Michael McFarland (Tampa, FL) and informed him that they no longer need him to grayshirt for the 2010 season as an additional scholarship has opened up. Instead, assistant head coach and defense/defensive line coach Dan McCarney told McFarland that the Gators want him to enroll with the rest of his 2010 class. OGGOA believes McFarland will likely redshirt his first season.

2 » Freshman guard Kenny Boynton has the star power, sophomore point guard Erving Walker is hitting daggers from downtown, junior forward Chandler Parsons is nailing remarkable buzzer-beating game-winners and junior transfer center Vernon Macklin brings the size…so what exactly is junior F Alex Tyus’ role? Tyus is, simply put, the most consistent player on the team. He has scored double figures in 11 straight games with 15+ points in six of those contests all while being a terror in the paint and averaging almost eight rebounds per game. Through the ups and downs of the season, Tyus has been the constant either keeping the Gators in games or helping them pull off routs. He’s even been hitting three-pointers. “I feel like I’m understanding my role a little more,” Tyus told Pat Dooley of The Gainesville Sun. “I’m more comfortable.” If Tyus continues playing at this level, a triumvirate of himself, Boynton and Walker could very well propel Florida to its first March Madness birth in three seasons.

Four more BITS on Corey Brewer, Tim Tebow and more after the jump!
Continue Reading » SIX BITS: McFarland, Tyus, Brewer, Tebow

Tags: Al Horford, Alex Tyus, Atlanta Hawks, baseball, Chandler Parsons, Chicago Bulls, Corey Brewer, Dan McCarney, Demar Dorsey, Donovan McNabb, Erving Walker, Focus on the Family, grayshirt, Joakim Noah, Kenny Boynton, March Madness, Michael McFarland, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles, Sarah Palin, Super Bowl XLIV, Tim Tebow, Vernon Macklin

1 » Playing college football at the University of Florida is not the only thing five-star safety Matt Elam (Palm Beach Gardens, FL) and former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow have in common anymore. Elam, like Tebow in 2005, has been named Mr. Football for the state of Florida. He will be presented the award at halftime of the Florida vs. South Carolina Gamecocks basketball game on Saturday at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, FL.

2 » Averaging career-highs in minutes (34.4), field goal percentage (.584), free throw percentage (.754), rebounds (9.7) and points (13.7), former Gators forward/center Al Horford is tearing it up in the NBA for the Atlanta Hawks. He has already compiled six 20-point games in 2009, and his coaches believe that much of his success can be attributed to the extra work he puts in at practice. “He’s one of those guys that’s going to continue to work and add something to his game every year,” head coach Mike Woodson said. “When you do that, that’s when you become an All-Star and a player in this league that everybody respects.”

3 » The Florida club ice hockey team took home the Thrasher Cup this past weekend after defeating both the Georgia and Florida State club teams. Standing at 8-4 on the season, UF’s squad won the Savannah Tire Hockey Classic in Savannah, GA, for the first time in team history. The club team competes in Division III in the American Collegiate Hockey Association.

4 » Though, as OGGOA previously reported, four-star safety commitment Demar Dorsey (Lauderdale Lakes, FL) has plans to visit both the Florida State Seminoles and USC Trojans over the next two weekends, he told Chris Hays of the Orlando Sentinel that he is just doing his due diligence. “I’ve been to Florida several times on unofficial visits,” Dorsey said, “but I figured I’d take a couple of visits just to make sure Florida is where I want to go to school. [The Gators are] still on top, they’re still my No. 1. They aren’t going anywhere. I’d say right now they’re about 90-95 percent.”

Tags: Al Horford, American Collegiate Hockey Association, Atlanta Hawks, Demar Dorsey, Florida State Seminoles, hockey, Matt Elam, Mike Woodson, Mr. Football, NBA, O'Connell Center, Savannah Tire Hockey Classic, Thrasher Cup, Tim Tebow, University of Florida, USC Trojans

The 2000s were quite a decade for University of Florida athletics. Florida Gators football and basketball were especially exceptional, combining for four National Championships (five appearances) and five Southeastern Conference Championships (six appearances) while earning five BCS bowl game and eight NCAA Tournament berths, respectively, over the last ten years. To end this decade of champions, OGGOA has compiled our own Gators All-Decade Team for each sport.

Continue Reading » OGGOA Presents: Florida Gators All-Decade Team

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Ahmad Black, Al Horford, Alex Brown, All-Decade, Andre Caldwell, Anthony Grant, Anthony Roberson, BCS, Ben Troupe, Billy Donovan, Billy Latsko, Brandon James, Brandon Siler, Brandon Spikes, Channing Crowder, Charlie Strong, Chas Henry, Chris Leak, Ciatrick Fason, Corey Brewer, Cornelius Ingram, Dan Mullen, David Lee, Derek Harvey, Drew Miller, Earnest Graham, Eric Rutledge, Eric Wilbur, Ian Scott, Jabar Gaffney, James Smith, Jarvis Moss, Jeff Chandler, Joakim Noah, Joe Haden, Keiwan Ratliff, Lito Sheppard, Major Wright, Marcus Thomas, Matt Bonner, Maurkice Pouncey, Max Starks, Mike Degory, Mike Pearson, Mike Pouncey, National Championship, NCAA Tournament, Percy Harvin, Phil Trautwein, Ray McDonald, Reggie Nelson, Rex Grossman, SEC Championship, Shannon Snell, Taylor Jacobs, Tim Tebow, Todd Johnson, University of Florida, Urban Meyer