1 » Could former Florida Gators wide receiver Percy Harvin be sitting out the most important game of his young NFL career? If his sudden migraine flare-up continues, he just might. Harvin missed Minnesota Vikings practice on Thursday [and Friday] for the first time since returning from the Mayo Clinic in December. He had been headache-free for more than a month, but head coach Brad Childress indicated that the only thing that can cure Harvin is time. “I think it’s just a matter of trying to slow the onsets,” Childress said. “For a while he had them pretty often. We expect him to be OK.” Harvin has 60 receptions on the season, second on the team to Sidney Rice, and has become one of quarterback Brett Favre’s favorite targets on third down.

2 » Preparing for the 2010 Under Armour Senior Bowl and a future in the NFL, former Gators quarterback Tim Tebow has been working out in Franklin, TN, since last week at D1 Sports Training. Co-owned by Indianapolis Colts star QB Peyton Manning, D1 “specializes in making athletes faster, stronger, more agile and explosive while also building character,” according to the company’s mission statement. Tebow is working closely with former Georgia Bulldogs All-American QB Zeke Bratkowski, a 40-year playing and coaching veteran. “When they see him in person, how he moves and throws, his work ethic at the Senior Bowl, and his passion for the game, I think that is what is going to move him up on the draft,” said Kurt Hester, director of training for D1. Check out the full story by Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean.

Tags: Brad Childress, Brett Favre, D1 Sports Training, Draft, Indianapolis Colts, Mayo Clinic, Minnesota Vikings, NFL, Percy Harvin, Peyton Manning, Senior Bowl, Sidney Rice, Tim Tebow, Under Armour

CNBC Sports Business Reporter Darren Rovell was curious about the money making potential of former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow. Seeing as Tebow will likely be on the cover of NCAA Football 11 and is set to appear in a television commercial during Super Bowl XLIV, Rovell sought out the Davie-Brown Index to compare Tebow’s endorsement potential to others at his position currently playing in the NFL.

The findings were simple: Tebow is already more popular and appealing than future hall of famers Brett Favre and Tom Brady and more of a trendsetter than Super Bowl winners Ben Roethlisberger and Eli Manning.

It is important to remember that Tebow has already achieved these DBI ratings without competing in the Senior Bowl, working out at the NFL Combine or even being selected in the 2010 NFL Draft – yet. It looks like he will have plenty of money to donate to the Bob Tebow Evangelistic Association even if he does not end up succeeding in the professional ranks. Don’t worry – he will.

Photo Credit: Mark Seliger, GQ

UPDATE: As OGGOA reported yesterday, CBS was in the process of reviewing Tebow’s Focus on the Family advertisement. Sports Business Daily mentioned Wednesday that the script for the Super Bowl spot has received early approval from the network. It appears as if the ad will not carry a strong pro-life message as was the concern of some at CBS. Almost all major networks, especially those airing significant or highly rated national events, have a policy against advocacy ads regardless of the slant.

Tags: Ben Roethlisberger, Bob Tebow Evangelistic Association, Brett Favre, combine, Davie-Brown Index, Draft, Eli Manning, Focus on the Family, NCAA Football 11, NFL, Senior Bowl, Super Bowl XLIV, Tim Tebow, Tom Brady

1 » Former Florida Gators wide receiver Riley Cooper will join teammate quarterback Tim Tebow in Mobile, AL, on Jan. 30 after accepting an invitation to the 2010 Under Armour Senior Bowl. Cooper was Florida’s leading receiver in 2009 with 961 yards on 51 catches while also accounting for nine touchdowns. Senior Bowl practices throughout the week, as well as the game itself, will be televised by the NFL Network.

2 » Gators thrower Mariam Kevkhishvili, a three-time NCAA Champion, broke a Georgian national record and Florida indoor school record in the women’s shot put during the Kentucky Invitational on Saturday at E.J. Nutter Fieldhouse. In addition to Kevkhishvili’s astounding feat, other Gators achieved promising results at the event. Florida, in total, scored two NCAA automatic-qualifiers, accounted for four provisional-qualifying marks and won three events in 48 hours. Read more about the Gators track & field team’s accomplishments this weekend.

3 » One of the few remaining Gators in the NFL Playoffs, San Diego Chargers defensive tackle Ian Scott has gone through a tumultuous two seasons with the team having been signed, released and then re-signed by the Chargers in a 13-month period. In fact, he even considered moving his entire family back to Gainesville, FL, at one point. The Gainesville Sun’s John Patton caught up with Scott and put together a nice feature article on the former Florida standout.

4 » The No. 6 men’s and No. 7 women’s Gators swimming and diving teams (7-0, 2-0 SEC), (8-2, 2-1 SEC) were victorious after turning in 159-118 and 163-122 wins over the Florida Atlantic Owls Saturday at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Sebastien Rousseau led the way for the men with an NCAA provisional mark in the men’s 200-yard butterfly (1:47.97) while senior Liz Kemp stood as a beacon for the women by taking home the 1,000-yard freestyle title (10:05.29).

Extra Bit » If you thought former Tennessee Volunteers head coach Lane Kiffin‘s departure created a ruckus, check out this video of the school’s Sports Information Department trying to settle down the clearly ticked-off media…after the jump!
Continue Reading » FOUR BITS: Cooper, shot put, Scott, swimming

Tags: diving, E.J. Nutter Fieldhouse, Florida Atlantic Owls, Ian Scott, Lane Kiffin, Liz Kemp, Mariam Kevkhishvili, NCAA, NFL, O'Connell Center, Playoffs, Riley Cooper, San Diego Chargers, Sebastien Rousseau, Senior Bowl, swimming, Tennessee Volunteers, Tim Tebow

1 » One year ago, the Florida Gators women’s basketball team upset the then-No. 12/17 Tennessee Lady Vols 66-57 in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Looking to repeat history, a much younger Florida team (9-8, 2-2 SEC) had the game tied at 64 against a significantly more experienced No. 4 Tennessee squad (15-1, 3-0 SEC) until Lady Vols guard Angie Bjorklund hit a reverse lay-up with 2.3 seconds left in the second half to pull ahead and ultimately win 66-64. Four Gators scored in double figures, and Florida led for much of the second half but could not hold on.

2 » In a news item that OGGOA broke Thursday via twitter, former Gators linebacker Ryan Stamper was invited to be a participant in the 2010 East-West Shrine Game on Jan. 23 at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, FL. Stamper is currently slated to play in the game but may have to pull out if the ankle injury he suffered in the 2010 Sugar Bowl flares up. The game will air live on ESPN2 at 3 p.m. In other Stamper news, he has decided to sign with agent Garriet Blair of GMB Sports and Entertainment. Quarterback Tim Tebow has declined an invitation to the East-West Shrine and will instead participate in the 2010 Senior Bowl in Mobile, AL.

All-Americans, Wuerffel, 2011 recruits and Gators in the pros after the jump!
Continue Reading » SIX BITS: Tough loss, Stamper, Wuerffel, 2011

Tags: A.C. Leonard, Aaron Hernandez, All-America, Angie Bjorklund, Carlos Dunlap, Channing Crowder, Citrus Bowl, Danny Wuerffel, David Lee, De'Ante Saunders, Draft, East-West Shrine Game, Heisman Trophy, Jeoffrey Pagan, Joe Haden, Major Wright, Maurkice Pouncey, Miami Dolphins, NBA, New York Knicks, NFL, O'Connell Center, Ryan Stamper, Senior Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Tennessee Lady Vols, Tim Tebow, women's basketball

Florida Gators senior quarterback Tim Tebow has made two important career decisions over the last few days, both of which will impact his future in the NFL in one way or another. Tebow has agreed to let agent Jimmy Sexton of Athletic Resource Management represent him as he works out and tries to earn his first professional contract through the 2010 NFL Draft.

Sexton represents a number of notable executives and coaches in both professional and collegiate ranks including but not limited to Bill Parcells, Nick Saban, Steve Spurrier, Tommy Tuberville and Jimbo Fisher. His roster of football players is less impressive but includes notables DeAngelo Williams, Jason Witten and Michael Oher along with quarterbacks Phillip Rivers, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Brodie Croyle.

Chris Mortensen of ESPN reported Saturday that Tebow has also decided to participate in the Under Armour Senior Bowl on Jan. 30 in Mobile, AL. Tebow will play quarterback for the South team, which will be coached by the Miami Dolphins staff. NFL talent evaluators and executives have recently come around to the realization that Tebow will likely be a first round pick, citing his career performance in the 2010 Sugar Bowl as a catalyst for the change in opinion.

Top senior quarterbacks, for the most part, choose not to participate in the Senior Bowl or throw at the NFL Combine. Tebow, who has never been one to back away from a challenge, is obviously being advised that he still has some work to do in order to prove his doubters wrong and raise his draft stock.

Tags: Athletic Resource Management, combine, Draft, Jimmy Sexton, Miami Dolphins, NFL, Senior Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Tim Tebow, Under Armour

1 » Though he has already signed a professional contract with the Texas Rangers after being selected in the 25th round of the 2009 MLB Draft, Florida Gators senior wide receiver Riley Cooper has his sights set on the NFL and plans to do whatever he can to land a spot on a team. “I’m going to the NFL combine and the Senior Bowl,” Cooper said during his Sugar Bowl interview on Monday. “Hopefully [I’ll] run a good 40 [yard dash], hopefully run a 4.3 or 4.4, not that 4.52 [that scouts] are talking about. Hopefully my draft stock goes up a lot.” As to whether or not baseball is still a consideration, Cooper said, “I do think I’m definitely going to have a decision to make.”

2 » Earle Bruce, the man who gave Urban Meyer his first coaching job as a graduate assistant with the Ohio State Buckeyes in 1987 and continues to be his friend and mentor to this day, spoke with Sporting News Today to provide some perspective on recent happenings involving the Florida head coach. “I was with Urban the Friday night before the Alabama game for the SEC Championship, and I could see there was something wrong,” Bruce said. “He looked withdrawn and a little bit under-weight. He looked like he wasn’t enjoying anything. I didn’t see the same passion he’s had for coaching. And then, watching the game, I don’t think he was all together with it. He’s usually a dominant factor on the sidelines, and he wasn’t in the game. He was subdued, and that’s not his way.” Bruce dives deeper into Meyer’s situation and how he can correct it and return to being “the finest football mind I know.”

Tags: combine, Earle Bruce, MLB, NFL, Ohio State Buckeyes, Riley Cooper, Senior Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Texas Rangers, Urban Meyer