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 » Just because National Signing Day ended the 2010 recruiting cycle on Feb. 3 does not mean the Florida Gators coaching staff is done recruiting. The University of Florida will host its first Junior Day for 2011 high school graduates Saturday as prospects from all over the state (and some from beyond) will travel to Gainesville, FL, to learn about the Gators. The majority of the outing includes a presentation about Florida football from a suite, a tour of The Swamp and a chance for the high schoolers to meet with some current players and pick their brains about the Gators. OGGOA will provide you with a full recap of the event early next week.

2 » In case you wanted or needed some data to explain why former Florida basketball player and current New York Knicks star forward/center David Lee deserved to be in the 2010 NBA All-Star Game all along, his hometown paper (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) has it together in a column for you.

Four more BITS on the Olympics, Jeff Demps, eye black, etc. after the jump!
Continue Reading » SIX BITS: Junior Day, Lee, Olympics, gym, track

Tags: Alabama Crimson Tide, All-Star, David Lee, field, Gator Chomp, gymnastics, Jeff Demps, Junior Day, NBA, NCAA Football Rules Committee, NCAA Indoor Championships, NCAA Player Rules Oversight Panel, New York Knicks, Olympics, SEC, Steve Mesler, Terrell Wilks, The Swamp, Tim Tebow, track, University of Florida, World Cup

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 » Former Florida Gators defensive end Bobby McCray, now with the New Orleans Saints, laid out Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner during the second round of the NFL Playoffs on Saturday. OGGOA has the video.

2 » Plenty of former Gators will be in action Sunday as the second round of the NFL Playoffs continue. Linebacker Brandon Siler and defensive tackle Ian Scott will be lining up for the San Diego Chargers, New York Jets‘ cornerback Lito Sheppard will be trying to shut down the Chargers’ deep threats and wide receiver Percy Harvin will see action in the early game as one of Brett Favre‘s top targets on the Minnesota Vikings against the Dallas Cowboys.

3 » Barely missing a triple-double for the New York Knicks Saturday was former Florida forward/center David Lee. Finishing with 26 points, 17 rebounds and nine assists, Lee has been tearing it up in New York over the last two seasons. Lee is averaging career-highs in minutes (36.9), points (19.3), assists (3.3) and steals (1.1) this season while also grabbing 11.2 rebounds per game; he has all the makings of an NBA All-Star.

4 » The decision that former Gators tight end Aaron Hernandez made to declare for the 2010 NFL Draft may turn out to be a wise one. But one choice Hernandez made that is already paying dividends was that of attending Florida instead of the University of Connecticut. “I feel like it was the best decision I made,” Hernandez told the Hartford Courant. “It made me grow up a little bit, get away from family and friends. The coaches were great coaches and they were great people, and I just don’t think anything could have gone better.” When did Hernandez decide to leave school? “I kind of planned toward the middle of the season, because I felt like I wanted to move on and enter a new part of my life,” he said. “Really, as the season went on, I just wanted [it] more and more.”

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, All-Star, Arizona Cardinals, Bobby McCray, Brandon Siler, Brett Favre, Dallas Cowboys, David Lee, Draft, Ian Scott, Kurt Warner, Lito Sheppard, Minnesota Vikings, NBA, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, New York Knicks, NFL, Percy Harvin, Playoffs, San Diego Chargers