1 » The Florida Gators may have lost a number of tough recruiting battles on and after National Signing Day in February but the team picked up a second running back on Sunday albeit a walk-on. Mark Herndon, a 5’9” 188 lbs. rusher out of Forest High School in Ocala, FL, has decided to accept a preferred walk-on spot with the Gators football team in 2012 rather than take a scholarship to play at Lindenwood University. “It’s just something I’ve always wanted to do since I began playing, to play Division I football and continue my dream,” Herndon said of playing for his hometown team. “Going to Lindenwood I felt like I would’ve had to give up on what I really wanted to do, and that’s just not the type of person I am.” Because Herndon already committed to Lindenwood and signed his national letter of intent, the school will have to release him from his scholarship. He is ineligible to play in 2012 (which was unlikely to happen even if he was eligible) but will be able to join the team in practices and meetings. Herndon will eventually try to earn a scholarship at Florida by showcasing a great work ethic and willingness to do whatever is asked of him by the coaching staff.

2 » Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin announced Monday on Twitter that he will be having arthroscopic shoulder surgery in the coming days but that he will not miss any major practice time heading into the 2012 season. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune confirmed his assumption as head coach Leslie Frazier explained that the procedure will help mend a sprained AC joint and that he should only miss some organized team activities before returning to the team in May.

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Tags: Brandon Spikes, Jeff Demps, Mark Herndon, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New York Jets, NFL, Percy Harvin, Runner of the Week, SEC, Tim Tebow, track

1 » New York Jets signal caller Tim Tebow made headlines – again – this week when mentioning on 1050 ESPN Radio that he’s “not sure” if he will ever be a starting quarterback again in the NFL. Honest as always, Tebow was sure to mention that it was not something that concerned him because, in his mind, it was not something he could determine. “I don’t know what the future holds, but I know who holds my future,” he said. “That’s something that has always given me peace and comfort. That’s why I don’t have to worry about the future. I can just worry about today and worry about becoming better as a football player and a person.” Tebow spoke about a number of other topics on The Michael Kay Show (listen here) including how the way he will be utilized this season compares to what he did for the Florida Gators with QB Chris Leak.

2 » Speaking of Tebow, he received plenty of support and praise recently from a former teammate as safety Will Hill was interviewed by the Newark Star-Ledger for a story published on Saturday. Hill, who recently participated in a Pro Day in Martinsville, NJ hoping to catch on with a NFL or CFL team, spoke in depth on what drives Tebow, how hard he tries to motivate his teammates and why Hill believes he is a special player. “I had arguments with people, tons of arguments, about how well Timmy was supposed to do in the league,” he told the paper. “They criticized his throwing. Alright, what do you want? A winner, or do you want just a pretty quarterback? You’ve got pretty quarterbacks that can throw the ball and never win – like the guy that was there before Tim [in Denver]. But Tim know[s] how to win and that’s what the league needs: A person that knows how to win, and he knows how to win.”

3 » Life-long professional wrestling fans, former Gators offensive linemen Maurkice and Mike Pouncey will have a chance to live out their childhood dreams on Sunday night as they form a tag team to compete in WrestleMania XXVIII in Miami, FL. Mike Pouncey, the Miami Dolphins‘ starting center, even spoke at a recent WWE press conference promoting the event. Since he was already set to attend the show as a fan, Pouncey suggested bringing his brother in as the duo forms a tag team that will don orange and blue tights while fighting WWE Tag Team Champions Primo and Epico. April Fools!

In actuality, WWE Champion C.M. Punk did recently joke that the Pouceys could make a good tag team due to their size, strength and the fact that they’re twins. “Well, we have the Bella twins, and the Bellas look a lot better than the Pounceys,” he told ESPN.com. “But, you know what, I’m always for celebrity involvement. If they want to get in the ring, clearly they’re good athletes. I’d love to see a twin tag team. That would be something. That would be cool.” The brothers may be in attendance at the event due to it being held where the Dolphins play at Sun Life Stadium. One former UF football player that will certainly be there is Thaddeus Bullard, who will work a dark match as Titus O’Neil.

4 » Florida women’s and men’s tennis each swept the Auburn Tigers 7-0 on Friday. The No. 2 women (14-1, 7-0 SEC) took down Auburn (8-8, 3-4 SEC) on the road behind plenty of solid play. The Gators won 14 of 15 combined sets (singles and doubles) as well as a tiebreaker with every ranked player and pairing winning except the No. 1 duo of junior Allie Will and sophomore Sofie Oyen; they did not participate in the match as a doubles team. The No. 11 men (11-7, 4-3 SEC) were equally impressive, toppling the Tigers (14-6, 3-4 SEC) at Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex in Gainesville, FL by winning 15 of 16 combined sets. Both teams will face Alabama on Sunday as the women remain on the road and the men once again host another opponent.

Tags: Allie Will, Auburn Tigers, CFL, Chris Leak, Maurkice Pouncey, Miami Dolphins, Mike Pouncey, New York Jets, NFL, SEC, Sofie Oyen, Sun Life Stadium, tennis, Thaddeus Bullard, Tim Tebow, Titus O'Neil, Will Hill, WWE

1 » Former Florida Gators forward/center Vernon Macklin was recently set down to the NBA Development League for no other reason than that the Detroit Pistons wanted to see him get some in-game action rather than sit stationary on the end of the team’s bench during NBA games. According to M Live, Macklin has been playing for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants and has been dominating. In his first five games with the team, Macklin is averaging 16.6 points and 17.2 rebounds (10.6 on the defensive glass) in more than 36 minutes a game. He will remain with the team through April 7 before returning to the Pistons. “He’s playing with a lot of energy and effort. He’s gotten better each and every game,” Detroit coach Lawrence Frank said. “It’s great for him to get that experience. We see continued development. We see progress in Vernon.”

2 » No. 4 Florida lacrosse (11-2) hit two major milestones on Wednesday, recording their first-ever shutout while registering the highest goal total in school history in a 29-0 beat down of the Fresno State Bulldogs (2-6) at Donald R. Dizney Stadium in Gainesville, FL. Freshman midfielder Nicole Graziano scored a game-high and career-high six goals on seven shots, and freshman attacker Nora Barry joined her in dominating on offense with five goals on six shots. The duo also combined for six ground balls and six draw controls in the contest. Junior As Ashley Bruns and Gabi Wiegand combined for six goals and three assists with Bruns becoming the first player in team history to eclipse 200 career goals. In addition to scoring the most goal sand allowing the fewest in team history, the Gators set or tied a number of other records. Florida had the most points (41), assists (12) and draw controls (24) in team history, tied their records for shots (44), first-half points (17) and second-half points (12) and also committed a record five fouls, the fewest in team history. The Gators accomplished all of this without Juniors A Kitty Cullen and M Brittany Dashiell, two of the team’s leading scorers.

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Tags: Ashley Bruns, Brittany Dashiell, Chris Leak, D1 Sports Training, Denver Broncos, Detroit Pistons, Dizney Stadium, Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Fresno State Bulldogs, Gabi Wiegand, Kitty Cullen, lacrosse, Lauren Haeger, Marcus Gilbert, Maurkice Pouncey, NBA, NBA D-League, NFL, Nicole Graziano, Nora Barry, Pittsburgh Steelers, Pressly Softball Stadium, SEC, softball, South Florida Bulls, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer, Vernon Macklin

1 » Despite well-documented problems off the field (marijuana arrests) and a number of questions about his maturity (four children under the age of four supposedly by three different women), former Florida Gators cornerback Janoris Jenkins continues to be a hot name for teams looking for secondary talent in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft. The Detroit Lions have recently emerged as a team in serious contention for Jenkins’s services with the No. 23 overall pick. However, the team and its front office are undoubtedly doing their due diligence on Jenkins. According to the Detroit Free Press, the Lions met with Jenkins at the 2012 Under Armour Senior Bowl and “are expected to host him on a visit” soon. When asked about him in particular, general manager Martin Mayhew played coy: “Wouldn’t you like to know that?” he said. “Like I said, we’ve got a lot of work to do in the process, and we haven’t done it all.”

2 » Florida senior center fielder Michelle Moultrie picked up a second weekly award on Tuesday as she was named the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Week for her dominant performance the prior weekend. Moultrie went 8/11 with two home runs, three doubles, four RBIs, six runs and a stolen base as UF swept Arkansas on the road. She was also named the SEC Player of the Week on Monday for her efforts.

3 » In a question-and-answer session with ESPN, Gators five-star defensive end/Buck linebacker commitment Dante Fowler, Jr. divulged some specifics about his personality and excitement to don the orange and blue sooner than later. Fowler noted not only that he recently got some advice from junior Buck LB Ronald Powell but also that he is “actually like a big teddy bear” instead of a “big, mean person” that some think he is just because he plays football. “People might say that I’m kind of shy because I put my head down when I talk and stuff,” he said. “But I’m a big teddy bear. My favorite TV show is iCarly. I’m going to be a big teddy bear off the field, but on the field I’m all business.”

4 » USA Today has released a compiled list of the salaries of the 68 head coaches participating in the 2012 NCAA Tournament. Florida’s Billy Donovan came in No. 4 on the list in terms of total pay, earning $3.64 million for 2011-12 with a maximum bonus of $454,000. Though Donovan’s salary and bonuses are high, they are very much in-line with what Kansas’ Bill Self ($3.63M, $425K max bonus) and Michigan State’s Tom Izzo ($3.60M, $425K max bonus) bring in annually. The only men above Donovan are Kentucky’s John Calipari ($5.39M, $850K max bonus), Louisville’s Rick Pitino ($4.81M, $575K max bonus) and Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski ($4.70M). Alabama’s Anthony Grant ($1.84M, $415K max bonus) is ranked No. 18 on the list and Virginia Commonwealth’s Shaka Smart ($1.21M, $621K max bonus) checks in at No. 30.

Tags: Anthony Grant, Billy Donovan, Dante Fowler, Detroit Lions, Draft, Janoris Jenkins, John Calipari, Michelle Moultrie, NFL, Player of the Week, Ronald Powell, SEC, Senior Bowl, Shaka Smart, softball, USA Softball

1 » Left with tens of thousands of blank jerseys for each NFL team, Reebok (the league’s former uniform and apparel partner) was prepared to scrap the jerseys before the 2012 season began as the NFL reached an agreement with Nike to take their place going forward. However, in a last-ditch effort to clear their stock and make a cash grab in the process, Reebok feverishly produced thousands of New York Jets jerseys with quarterback Tim Tebow‘s name and number on them after he was traded from the Denver Broncos last week. Reebok saw it as their last chance to clear some stock and not take a loss on the jerseys, but Nike saw it another way. According to CNBC‘s Darren Rovell, Nike has decided to sue Reebok for creating the jerseys and is seeking both damages and for the company to destroy any that remain on the market. “We have filed a complaint relating to unauthorized use of Tim Tebow’s name on New York Jets related apparel,” the company told Rovell in a statement. “Nike is authorized and licensed to use Tim Tebow’s name on products. We have no further comment at this stage.” Due to the NFL/NFLPA’s deal with Reebok expiring at the end of the league year, Nike contends that the company had no right to create any products with a player’s likeness. Nike is set to release their new NFL uniform designs at the beginning of April and put them on sale around the 2012 NFL Draft. It is expected that there will only be minor uniform changes in 2012 but that most teams will see some signifigant differences in 2013.

2 » Florida Gators redshirt senior defensive tackle Omar Hunter, one of the anchors on the defensive line this season, spoke on Tuesday about a number of issues concerning himself and the team. With so few healthy players at his position on the field, Hunter has been getting even more work in than usual but feels like it is paying off in the long run. “It’s very tough. We’re playing a lot more snaps than we normally have to in the rotation. It’s not as strong. But the guys we do have are going hard in practice and everyone is getting better,” he said. “Any time you have a chance to get more snaps, it’s always beneficial towards you. I feel like I’ve gotten a little bit better as far as some technique things I was struggling with last year as far as pass rushing. The more snaps I have to go against the ones on the offensive line have definitely benefitted me.” Hunter credited defensive coordinator Dan Quinn for his vast improvements on the field. “My fundamentals have shot through the roof with him. He’s very patient with me to say the least. We’ll stay after if I need extra film work, he’s always there for me,” he said.

Hunter also confirmed what head coach Will Muschamp said on Monday – junior Buck linebacker Ronald Powell has had a fantastic offseason and was the standout player at Saturday’s scrimmage. “He’s probably had the best offseason that I’ve seen from anyone since I’ve been here,” he said. “He’s worked so hard in the offseason and it’s really paying off for him right now. He’s more mature both on and off the field, on the field his pass rushing is unbelievable right now. He’s so stout against the run. He’s really looking good for us right now.” With Powell playing well and both redshirt senior defensive end/Sam linebacker Lerentee McCray and junior DT Dominique Easley coming back from injury, Hunter believes Florida’s defensive line has the chance to be one of the best the school has seen, even putting them up there with the guys from 2008.

» On redshirt senior tight end Omarius Hines’s work at running back: “Yeah, he’s big. He’s hard to tackle. He runs really hard – him and [Chris] ”Juice” Johnson. They’re both running very hard for us right now.”

» On redshirt senior guard James Wilson: “He looks better than ever. He looks like his shape is getting there. From the end of last year to now, I’d say he’s in the best shape he’s been in – he’s looking good.”

Tags: Chris Johnson, Dan Quinn, Denver Broncos, Dominique Easley, Draft, James Wilson, Lerentee McCray, New York Jets, NFL, Omar Hunter, Omarius Hines, Ronald Powell, Tim Tebow

1 » Despite losing their second game of the season over the weekend, Florida Gators baseball (22-2) held on to their No. 1 ranking in both the USA Today/ESPN Coaches’ Top 25 Poll and the Collegiate Baseball top 25. Florida was the unanimous No. 1 in the former poll, retaining all 31 first-place votes, but UF just edged out Kentucky by five voting points in the latter ranking. OGGOA will offer more comprehensive top 25 coverage for Gators baseball in the upcoming weeks.

2 » Florida announced on the school’s website Monday that the Gators basketball team has already scheduled four non-conference games for the 2012-13 season in addition to the three home-and-homes they are set to complete. Florida will take on Kansas State in Kansas City, MO and host Wisconsin, Central Florida and Richmond in addition to travelling to Florida State, Arizona and Yale. The Gators will also get a home game as part of the SEC-Big East Challenge after travelling to Syracuse last season and are set to compete once again in the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic in Sunrise, FL. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports the Florida-Wisconsin game is set for Nov. 14.

3 » After suffering an unfortunate end to his 2010 season, offensive tackle Max Starks went unsigned heading into 2011 until the Pittsburgh Steelers encountered a drastic void on the offensive line and brought him back into the fold. Starks ended last season with yet another injury – this time a torn ACL – and is still out of action as his physical therapy will not officially begin until the summer. However, both Starks and Pittsburgh general manager Kevin Colbert have mutual interest in continuing their working relationship. Colbert told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review recently that the team has not ruled out re-signing Starks for the 2012 season.

4 » On the day Peyton Manning was signed by the Denver Broncos and the team all but announced it would be trading quarterback Tim Tebow, NBC‘s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon once again did a spoof combining Tebow with David Bowie in a character they call “Tebowie.” You can watch the video below:

Tags: baseball, Denver Broncos, Max Starks, New York Jets, NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tim Tebow, Top 25

Former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow was introduced Monday as the newest member of the New York Jets at a noon press conference attended by hundreds of media members and covered live on both local and national television.

Lasting more than a half hour, the press conference featured Tebow standing alone at a podium, taking questions about football, faith and his future. He answered most and deflected some but conveyed one general sentiment throughout: excitement about being a member of the Jets organization.

“I want to thank the Broncos for my time in Denver. It was an amazing time. I want to thank my teammates and my fans for being such great teammates and such great fans,” he said in his opening statement.

“I’m looking forward to my time here in New York and my time here as a Jet. I’m so honored and humbled to be a Jet. I’m so thankful that they wanted me, and I’m so excited about me and my teammates. I’ve had the pleasure to meet quite a few already, and I’m looking forward to my future as a Jet. And I’m very excited about it.”

The first order of business was clearing up his exit from the Denver Broncos and whether or not he actually had a choice between New York and the Jacksonville Jaguars. Despite reports that Denver put the decision in Tebow’s hands, he said it was ultimately the team’s decision and expanded on that greatly on Monday by recounting the events of one week ago.

“When I woke up Wednesday morning, I talked to Coach Fox and they were very gracious the whole time. Coach Fox – I specifically talked to him all throughout the process. He kind of told me some of the opportunities that were out there,” he said. “When I talked to him about it, next thing I know I got a call from Mr. [Mike Tannenbaum] and Coach [Rex] Ryan and they said I was a Jet. So I was really excited about that. ‘When’s the next flight out to new York?’ I was excited about it.

“Then obviously the media circus happened and I found out a few minutes later there was a snag in the contract and I wasn’t a Jet. And so then it was five hours of kind of waiting. Coach Fox was keeping me updated on what was happening. Later on in the day they said they had a few teams that were interested with similar deals. He was very gracious to ask me what I thought. I talked to him very honestly about it, and I told him I would love to be a Jet. I told him also that the Jaguars are my hometown and [to do] whatever was best for them. He said the same for me.

“Ultimately they had my contract there and they had all the power, but he listened to me and what I had to say. It was very gracious of them because they didn’t have to do that. They could have just done whatever. He listened to me and talked to me and I told him I would love to be a Jet. I love the coaches. I had an opportunity to be with Coach [Tony] Sparano at the Senior Bowl. I had an opportunity to get to know Coach Ryan several times. That was exciting for me. I also told them I would love to be a Jaguar. That’s my hometown and that would be exciting for me. Whatever was the best for them. I’m excited to be a Jet and I’m excited to be here.”

Tebow was asked again about the process and not-so-specifically relayed what a lot had already assumed – that he felt the love in New York and not so much in Jacksonville. He also cited his relationship with the coaches as a reason playing for the Jets might be better for him in the long run.

Continue Reading » Poised as ever, Tebow says ‘hello’ to New York

Tags: Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets, NFL, Tim Tebow

1 » NFL.com’s Gil Brandt took a look back at the Florida Gators’ Pro Day on March 13 and came away with some very interesting information. He clocked Rainey in at 4.41 and 4.35 seconds in his 40-yard dashes and said that he also impressed while working out at wide receiver. Brandt (among others) believes Rainey is a sure-fire third-round pick in the upcoming 2012 NFL Draft. He also noted that WR Denote Thompson “ran blistering 4.31 and 4.32 40s” and also worked out as a defensive back and “looked good, even though he has no experience playing there.”

2 » Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah was ejected from Saturday’s game after throwing a ball near a referee but was contrite and apologetic on Sunday when asked about the situation. “I don’t know what’s going to happen about that,” Noah said, according to the Chicago Tribune. “I just want to apologize to the ref. I just feel bad for what happened. I just want to apologize to the ref for coming at him like that. It was wrong of me. I was just frustrated. I just hope he reads this and accepts my apology.” The NBA decided not to suspend Noah for his actions, which were not overly aggressive.

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Tags: Arkansas Razorbacks, Bradley Beal, Chicago Bulls, Chris Rainey, Deonte Thompson, Draft, Hannah Rogers, Joakim Noah, Kenny Boynton, lacrosse, Michelle Moultrie, NBA, NFL, Nora Barry, Ohio State Buckeyes, Ole Miss Rebels, Patric Young, Player of the Week, SEC, Shannon Gilroy, softball, tennis