1 » According to The Gainesville Sun’s Pat Dooley, Florida Gators defensive coordinator Dan Quinn interviewed for but turned down the same position with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Quinn, who has been at Florida for just one season, was a NFL assistant with four different teams from 2001-10.

2 » The 2011-12 season may now be in the books but that does not mean Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow‘s name is out of the news. Tebow, who sat down for a 30-minute interview with ESPN’s Hannah Storm last week, will be featured on ESPN2 in “SportsCenter Special: Face to Face with Tim Tebow” on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 10:30 p.m. Tebow’s recent ESPN rounds included an interview with Scott Van Pelt and Ryen Russillo, which you can view below.

Four more BITS on Crowder, Demps, the Oh Fours and Wambach after the break!

3 » In a similar fashion to what happened in New Orleans two season ago, one former Florida player may unseat another Gators star currently on the roster of a NFL team. According to ESPN, it is unlikely that the Atlanta Falcons will choose to bring back veteran linebacker Mike Peterson for his 14th season. Instead the team appears to have its sights set on former Miami Dolphins LB Channing Crowder, who “retired” in 2011 to spend time with his pregnant wife and new baby after Miami decided to cut ties with him. The key connecting the dots? Former Dolphins defensive coordinator Mike Nolan took the same job with the Falcons in the offseason.

4 » Now concentrating on track and field, Florida junior sprinter Jeff Demps got good news on Friday when he learned that his 6.59-second 60-meter run at the Virginia Tech Elite Meet was good enough to automatically qualify him for the 2012 NCAA Indoor Championships. Demps, who has won the individual national title each of the last two years, earned the 6.59 time in his first meet of the 2012 season. “We’re obviously very pleased with Jeff,” head coach Mike Holloway said. “He’ll be the first to tell you that he didn’t execute the race well in the final, but he’s been working a lot in practice and he’ll only continue to improve as we get deeper into the season.”

5 » The Oh Fours received some news on Monday. First the good news, in which former Gators point guard Taureen Green announced on Twitter that he will play for the professional basketball team Tofaş of the Turkish Basketball League in 2012. Since leaving Florida, Green has spent short stints with three NBA teams but left the league in 2008 and has spent the last four years overseas playing in Spain and Greece.

On a much more somber note, Denver Nuggets guard/forward Corey Brewer left the team Monday morning after learning that his father has passed away at the age of 68 in Portland, TN. Brewer and his father, Ellis “Pee Wee” Brewer, were extremely close and shared hundreds of memories both on and off the court, which you can read about in this April 2007 story by Pat Forde of ESPN.com. Our deepest condolences go to the family.

6 » Learning that the WPS would not be active for the 2012 season, former Gators striker and current U.S. Women’s National Team member Abby Wambach is trying to stay positive and focusing on competing in the 2012 London Olympics. “You have to take all of the good things with the bad and make the best of them,” she told ESPNW. “It has been a hard week for women’s soccer. But, as a community, we’ve got to lose the egos. We have to get past the issues that have come between us.” Women’s soccer in the United States got a boost following the 2012 Women’s World Cup, but Wambach believes that a women’s league will need help from the MLS to create a long-lasting professional organization. “I think it’s probably going to be necessary for a league to survive,” she said said. “If we can get into a relationship with an MLS community, you’ve got many things built in. You’ve got infrastructure: people already in place in some jobs who might be able to help, stadiums, fields. There could be many costly things that are at least dramatically cut back, so you’re in a position where you can actually succeed. And then see if maybe in a few years, you could even be making money.

Overseas in Spain starting every game for C.B. Gran Canaria 2014 of the ACB, former Florida Gators two-time National Championship-winning point guard Taurean Green took some nearly 45 minutes out of his busy schedule to sit down with OGGOA for a wide-ranging, in-depth interview late Tuesday evening.

Green, one of the four members of the Oh Fours and an integral part to the team’s success from 2005-07, discussed at length his college career and continuing relationship with his Gators teammates and coaches. He also provided some insight into what the current team is going through during their 2011 NCAA Tournament run and how they can improve going forward and make the most out of their opportunity.

ADAM SILVERSTEIN: With your father being a former NBA player and college coach as your adviser, what was it about Florida and Billy Donovan that had you winding up playing for the Gators out of high school?
TAUREAN GREEN: “Obviously Coach Donovan was a huge factor, the style of play, Coach [Anthony] Grant was a huge factor, too. It was just basically the style of play, how they get up-and-down [the court], and he’s a guard’s coach. I knew that he played for a great coach in Rick Pitino at Providence, and then he played some years in the NBA. Just from what everybody told me and from what I heard, he’s a guard’s coach and you’ll definitely get better [playing for him]. He’ll give you freedom out there but along with the freedom comes responsibility in running the team.”

AS: Your first year at Florida was obviously an adjustment as there were still a bunch of upperclassmen holding starting roles on the team. How was it walking into a team with established guys like David Lee, Matt Walsh and Anthony Roberson already comfortable with each other and running the show?
TG: “That was good for me. Some guys can adapt – you see freshmen get thrown into the fire right away nowadays. I felt like I needed that year to go against Anthony Roberson and all those guys just to get my feet wet. At the same time, I knew that I was going to be getting better going against Peep every day in practice. They led the way, and we just tried to contribute in whatever way we could.”

AS: You won the SEC Tournament that season and were a No. 4-seed going into the NCAA Tournament. What was it like playing at such a big stage so early in your career?
TG: “It was fun! When I was at Florida, the main thing was we just lived in the moment. We took it game-by-game. We wanted to do stuff that no other team really had done at Florida. We knew that we had David, Matt and Anthony, and we just wanted to contribute in any way we could. The main thing was just going out and playing hard, doing whatever it took to win.”

Read the rest of our exclusive interview with Taurean Green…after the break!

AS: Were you guys surprised that Walsh and Roberson left early? It gave all of you an opportunity to start alongside each other right away.
TG: “Honestly, not really. We really weren’t surprised about that. We knew, once we heard the news that they left, that it was going to be our turn and we had to be ready. That summer we all worked extremely hard in the weight room, on the court, just trying to get better. It all paid off.”

AS: Why wasn’t it a surprise that they left early?
TG: “It was just the vibe we got. We knew they were talented and could play at that level. It was kind of the vibe and kind of what we thought would happen.”

AS: That next year the Gators started off unranked in the polls considering the belief was that the team lost all of its best players. At what point during that 2005-06 season did you guys realize that something special was going on?
TG: “It was after that Coaches vs. Cancer [Classic] in New York, after we beat Wake Forest and went ahead and beat Syracuse. That was just the beginning, but as the season went on and as we started to play games, we thought, ‘This could be a special season.’ We had a great group of guys that loved playing with each other. The sky was the limit for us, and we just wanted to stay focused. Coach Donovan always preached to us, ‘Don’t look ahead to winning the National Championship or the SEC Championship. Let’s just be the best we can be each and every game.’ As long as we came out, executed our game plan and were the best that night, we knew nobody could beat us.”

AS: Coach Donovan has said many of those exact same things this season. He often talks about the team not thinking they are better or further along than they actually are…
TG: “That’s exactly right. With the media, there’s a lot of stuff that was said about us. ‘Florida’s predicted to win. They’re moving along.’ He didn’t want us to get into all of that, reading our clippings, getting satisfied and complacent. He wanted us to stay hungry and have that edge to us each and every game. That’s the main thing that he tries to tell his teams. He told that to us and I’m sure he’s telling that to these guys now. Live in the moment. Each game you got to bring it for 40 minutes, because every game it is one-and-done now.”

AS: Let’s go back to that first title run. You guys entered the NCAA Tournament as a No. 3-seed; did you feel a bit disrespected considering how well the team played in the regular season and SEC Tournament?
TG: “I don’t think so. As a team we were confident with what we could do. It really didn’t matter where they put us because we felt that the way we were playing, how the season ended, winning the SEC Championship, taking that momentum into the NCAA Tournament, we didn’t care where we were. We just knew that we were tough and we were going to compete and win.”

AS: You had a tough road to get to the title – going through Georgetown, Villanova and then UCLA in the championship game. There was a moment at the end where you had the ball in your hands with the clock winding down and did that little shimmy dance. Was that something you thought out or did it just happen?
TG: “That was just me being happy. Just sitting there, dribbling the ball out and realizing – we did it. That was just emotion – all emotion at the end of the game.”

AS: Obviously there was a lot of talk about Joakim Noah, Al Horford and Corey Brewer declaring for the NBA Draft after that season. I know they made their own decisions independently, but did the four of you sit down and have a talk about trying to repeat? How did all of that go down?
TG: “All of the speculation with Corey, Al and Jo, they had to make their decision for themselves. Jo came from a family who was capable of having money, Al too. Corey was just in a different situation than us because he wasn’t as fortunate. Everybody made their decision themselves and then, toward the end, those guys sat down and talked to me and were just like, ‘Hey man, let’s go do it again.’ That was real special for those guys because those guys could have gone and taken the money. The main reason why they came back was because they loved playing with their teammates. We all loved playing together.”

AS: Bringing the whole starting five back – and basically the entire team with the exception of Adrian Moss – put a ton of outside pressure on you guys. Did you feel that pressure internally and, if so, how did you handle it?
TG: “We knew it was going to be tough. We knew, coming back, that it was going to be even tougher than the previous season. The best thing about the group of guys that we had is we didn’t get complacent. We were happy with what we did the previous year, but we knew we had a big opportunity to come back and do it again. We were all humbled. Coach Donovan did a great job of motivating us. We were motivated, but he let’s us know. He didn’t sugar coat things for us. He kept it real for us and gave us that edge.”

AS: Not to diminish the difficulty of winning each game, but 2007 was pretty much smooth sailing until the end of the regular season when you guys lost three-straight road games before beating Kentucky, dominating the SEC Tournament and eventually winning the second-straight title. Was that just a switch that had to be turned on?
TG: “I believe we went through that in 2005-06 as well. [Editor’s note: They did.] It was just that stretch where we were on the road…we weren’t playing good. I know my dad [Sidney Green] came down after the loss at LSU. He came down and just talked to us and said, ‘Man, you guys are playing tight. You aren’t playing loose. It looks like guys are not having fun out there like you usually do.’ We watched film – two games. It showed on film; we were playing tight, not playing loose. It was good to see that on film. That was good for us. We just got back, Coach Donovan gave that edge back to us, helped us be aggressive. Coming down to the SEC Tournament, we turned it up. That win at Kentucky – that last regular season game – was kind of a momentum shifter for us.”

AS: After the second title you left with the other Oh Fours and were drafted in the second round by the Portland Trail Blazers. Why did you make the decision to try your hand at playing in Europe rather than bouncing around the NBA until you found a permanent landing spot?
TG: “My agent [Andy Miller], he’s really good. He knows what he’s doing. For me, I’m still young. For a professional career, the main thing he emphasized with me is that I’m still young. By me bouncing around, I could have bounced around and played on NBA teams, but I would not be getting that much playing time or experience. The main thing he wanted to do for my career was keep me playing. Keep the rhythm of the game and get better. The Spanish league I’m playing in right now is the best league other than the NBA. There’s a lot of NBA talent here. He wants me to get better. I don’t think I would have gotten better being the third point guard and just sitting on the bench in the NBA. The main thing was just getting over here and playing games, running a ball club and getting better at running the team. Just working on my game.”

AS: You’ve been playing in Europe since 2008 in both Spain and Greece. How do you like playing over there, and what has been the biggest difference you’ve noticed in the European style of play compared to that in the NBA?
TG: “I like it. The main difference is just spacing. The NBA is more about spacing – more space. You’ve got the defensive three seconds [there], while here it is a lot of help. It’s tougher to get in the lane, there’s not a lot of one-on-one. It’s more about the team here, a lot of ball movement and pick-and-rolls. This league is physical, there’s a lot of talent.”

AS: You’re one of the top players on C.B. Gran Canaria and your team is in the top half of the ACB. Talk a little bit about how things are going for you and the team this year.
TG: “Things are going really well. In Greece I averaged 16 points and five assists. Coming here, I’m averaging around nine points and like 3.5 assists. We have a great scorer on our team in Jaycee Carroll. He leads the league in scoring [18.8 points per game] and is our two guard. This is one of the best years I’ve had in terms of that I set the tempo for the game. The rhythm of the game is good, I’m getting guys shots. I’m real comfortable out here now, feeling better each game. I’m doing a lot of stuff I haven’t done in college and my first couple of years out [in the NBA]. I feel like I’m getting better. The main thing is that we’re winning, so it’s all positive.”

AS: How’s your Spanish?
TG: “[Laughing] My Spanish is alright. When people speak Spanish, I understand it, but it’s more difficult for me to talk. When I order food, I’m legit.”

AS: How did you wind up playing for the Georgia national team, and what was that experience like for you?
TG: “When my season was over in Greece last year, I came back and was working out in Chicago with Joakim. My agent called and asked what I thought about it. I was up for it. It gives me better options. At the same time, it allows me to make more money, having a passport. It gives me experience to play on that Georgia national team and get exposure. We qualified for the EuroCup Challenge – a chance to get to the Olympics, so that’s a plus. A lot of scouts will be there. My agent set that all up. He had it all figured out and asked if I wanted to do it.”

AS: How have your relationships with some of your former teammates and coaches changed and/or developed since you left Gainesville, FL? Are you still close with the guys and Coach Donovan? Does everyone speak often?
TG: “It’s tough to talk everyday. Those guys are always traveling. I’m over here in Spain. Lee [Humphrey]’s over in Germany. I talk to those guys at least twice to three times a week. My cousin lives with Jo, so I talk to my cousin and he keeps me updated with Jo. You know Jo, Jo is probably the toughest person to get a hold of. The relationship is still there. We’re still close. I’m getting married this summer [to former dazzler Kristen Youngblood] and [the Oh Fours] are going to be my best men. I talked to Coach Donovan before the SEC Tournament, just catching up and wishing him good luck. The relationship is still there. We’re still together.”

AS: It’s funny you mentioned how hard it is to get in touch with Noah, because I tried to reach out to Brewer when he got traded to the New York Knicks and was told a few times he is the toughest to get a hold of…
TG: “Corey is the worst. I’ll put Corey up there now. Corey is the most impossible person to get a hold of. I had to hunt Corey down on Twitter a little while back. I’m like, ‘Man, what is your number.’ He’s always changing his number.”

AS: Back to Donovan. Fans get to see portions of his pre- and post-game speeches, but what is he like at halftime when the team does not perform well in the first half?
TG: “I’m sure Erving [Walker] gets hit the most out of anybody because he’s the point guard. That’s how it was with me. If you’re not playing well or you’re not doing what you need to do to help the team, he’s going to get on you. It all starts with Erving because he’s the point guard and he has the keys to the team. There were some games that we played where we were winning by 10 [at the half] and he was getting on us because he expects the best out of everybody. If you’re winning by 10, you should be up by 20; winning by 25, he’s going to get on you. That just makes you play at a higher level.”

AS: I know you’ve had a lot of coaches. And I’m not necessarily asking if he’s the best…
TG: “Oh, hands down. Hands down, he’s the best coach that I’ve ever had!”

AS: …in addition to that, how good is he at making halftime adjustments? It seems that – especially this year – the team can go into the half down six or eight points and still end up winning decisively. How proficient is he at making those adjustments and seeing what is being done wrong in the first half?
TG: “He’s the best at that. You see him over there calm during the game. He’ll get fired up sometimes during the first half. But that’s what he’s doing – he’s just watching how the game is, watching how the other team is playing defense, what they’re doing. For me, he’s the best at adjusting at halftime. That all comes from practice because in practice our offensive sets have a lot of options. That way the players know if the team does this, this is what you have to do. For me, he’s the best in terms of X’s and O’s in general.”

AS: You’ve been a huge supporter of the Gators even though you’re a bit removed overseas. Have you had the chance to watch some of their games this season?
TG: “Yeah. I catch them on ESPN3.com. I watched both NCAA Tournament games so far. I watched the SEC games except for Kentucky because I had a game. The only thing that scares me about this team is their first halves. They dig themselves in a little hole in the first half and always come out in the second half and turn it up.”

AS: What are you seeing from this team – both things you like and things you think they can improve on going forward?
TG: “The ball movement is good. Chandler [Parsons] is a mismatch out there for a lot of teams. Chandler has a variety of skill sets so he can shoot it, pass it. The main thing that’s going to push them to the Final Four is the bigs: Vern [on Macklin] and Patric [Young] and Alex Tyus. I think the X-factor, for me, is Alex Tyus. When Alex is playing good, that pushes the team.”

AS: I’ve been critical of Walker throughout his career but especially the last two seasons because he’s had more experience but is still making some of those careless mistakes that bother Coach Donovan. He’s obviously a great player and is absolutely a clutch shooter but continues to make some of the same mistakes you grew from. Like you said, Donovan gives him a lot of freedom but with that comes the responsibility to make the correct decisions. Most glaringly are the times he drives to the hole on much taller defenders and proceeds with the shot rather than controlling his dribble and rolling out. What do you see from his game overall?
TG: “I know what Coach Donovan’s killing him on. What you just said. When he drives down there with the trees, gets caught in the air and he either throws it up and gets blocked or turns it over. Just being too careless. I know that drives Coach Donovan nuts. The thing that I feel he is doing a real good job in is…if he messes up, he forgets about it. He has a short memory and will move on to the next play. He may mess up one or two plays, but he’ll come back with a big play. Coach wants the guards to be aggressive. Erv is only 5’8”, so Erv can be aggressive, but once he gets down in the lane, I think he has to keep his dribble. If he knows he can’t get a clear layup, keep his dribble, let the defense shrink in and kick it out to the shooters.”

AS: The current team is seeing its first real postseason success this year. How do things change as you get deeper in the tournament and reach the Sweet 16?
TG: “The media gets a lot crazier. You get a lot of attention, but honestly I felt that was the only difference. Other than that, the referees are going to let a lot of things go on the court – a lot of things they’d usually call during the regular season or the first few rounds. It’s more physical and you just have to play through it.”

AS: Let’s go back to some of the things you mentioned earlier. Why was Coach Grant so important to your development and those title teams?
TG: “The best thing about Coach Donovan in practice is he’ll get on you. He’s on you, he’s on you, he’s on you. Coach Grant was a good balance. Coach Grant was kind of quiet, but at the same time, he demanded that you compete. So if Coach Donovan is on you, Coach Grant would pull you to the side [and say], ‘This is what you need to do. Come on, just forget about it. Keep playing.’ They were a good balance.

“I’m going to tell you a story…

“He told me during the first championship run…he told me in the SEC Tournament, ‘You know, there’s going to be a game where you’re not going to shoot the ball well and you’re going to win us a ball game just off of your assists and running the team.’ I looked at him like, ‘For real?’ And he said, ‘I’m telling you. Watch.’ That championship game against UCLA, I didn’t make a shot. I probably made one shot. I was one-for-nine with eight assists and one turnover. Right after the game, he told me, ‘Hey, I told you!’ [Laughing] Him and Coach Donovan were key in my development, Corey’s development, Al, Joakim, Lee and Big Chris [Richard]. I think he helped Big Chris out the most.”

AS: The Oh Fours got a lot of praise, but Humphrey and Richard were also huge factors in those title runs. Can you discuss how important they were to the team dynamic?
TG: “Lee was the perfect fit at the two spot for us. We’d get mad at Lee if he didn’t shoot. Lee had the most freedom out of everybody. Our motto was: Layups, dunks, fast breaks and Lee Humphrey. Sometimes Lee would feel bad if he was shooting and wasn’t making [his shots]. He’d feel bad. We’d be like, ‘Lee, so what? If you get a crack, just let it go.’ He was that good of a shooter.

“I feel that it was so tough to guard us because if you doubled down on Al and Jo, they were such good passers that they would kick it out to either me or Lee for a three. You had Corey slashing and even Corey would knock down threes. Chris would come in, say Al got in foul trouble, Chris could start on a lot of other teams. He could have started on any other team in college. He would come in and bang, rebound. Just to have those guys come in, rotate and give us good minutes made us even tougher to prepare for.”

AS: It’s well-known how much of a character Noah is off the court. Is there anything he did while you all were in college that really sticks out in your mind as hysterical?
TG: “There’s too many. One of the funniest things that I remember was our first year on campus. It was during the summer. Me and Jo had the same classes and Corey and Al had the same classes, but we would all walk together around Turlington. Jo would bring his boom box – this boom box that he had – and would just play reggae. He carried the boom box and played it real loud. I was like, ‘Is he seriously bringing this boom box?’ Everybody would be watching. I’d be like, ‘Jo, can you please turn that off?’ He’d be like, “[Mimicking a Jamaican voice] Nah B, I’m getting the vibe. They’re getting the vibe. They love it.’ I always thought that was funny. That’s the thing with Jo, he just doesn’t care.”

AS: Looking back on your career at Florida, what is the one moment you will always remember – either on the court or off the court?
TG: “It’s not just one moment. It’s just every memory that I had with all my roommates, all my teammates, the coaches. My whole three years at Florida was probably the most fun I’ve had playing basketball.”

Photo Credits: Chris Graythen/Getty Images, Bob Rosato/Sports Illustrated, Unknown, Andres Cruz, Unknown

» OGGOA INTERVIEWS:
DE Justin Trattou | DT Terron Sanders | QB Tim Tebow | QB Danny Wuerffel | ESPN’s Erin Andrews | ESPN’s Erin Andrews II | DE Alex Brown | WR Percy Harvin | F/C Al Horford | WR David Nelson | QB Shane Matthews | TE Cornelius Ingram | DE Jermaine Cunningham | S Major Wright | LB Earl Everett | F/C Chris Richard | DE Lynden Trail

Growing up in Gainesville before going off to prep school, Frank never thought he would play college basketball. With encouragement from his brother and the Oh Fours, Frank wound up playing Division III hoops for the College of Wooster before deciding to transfer to Kent State – where his father is a provost – last year.

And even though he broke his wrist last week and will be unable to play on Thursday, just being on the court at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center dressed in a college uniform means the world to this driven young man.

OGGOA spoke with Frank on Tuesday (thanks to the good people of the Kent State athletic department) and asked him what it meant to him to be returning to his hometown on a college basketball team.

ADAM SILVERSTEIN: Thanks a lot for sitting down with us tonight. I know you guys are in the middle of finals while simultaneously preparing for Florida in a few days. Let’s start with how it all began for you. What was it like growing up in Gainesville?

BRIAN FRANK: “It was awesome. I was really growing into my love for the game right around the time the Oh Fours came to UF. My brother is good friends with them and, being a kid in high school, having Taurean Green and Joakim Noah and Al Horford sitting in the stands to watch you play is really something. I think what really made me want to follow basketball was my brother’s close relationship with them. Growing up, my brother was always my inspiration and he continues to be the reason I play, but he would always try to bring the Florida players around me to give me a good look at what college basketball was all about.”

AS: Spending so much time with those guys, did they say something in particular that resonated with you or gave you that little extra push to give college basketball a shot?

BF: “They were just always real supportive of me. To give you an example, I was on Facebook today and Taurean messaged me to check how things were going. When the [Atlanta] Hawks came to Cleveland, Al got me a couple tickets to see them play. Little things like knowing they care about how I’m doing really means a lot. But if you’re looking for a quote… When Joakim was at my [Bucholtz] high school games, he would always yell, ‘Take it to the baja little Frankie!’ That was fun.”

Read the rest of our interview with Kent State’s Brian Frank…after the break!

AS: Do you have any history with head coach Billy Donovan or anyone else on the coaching staff? I know they are often running clinics locally.

BF: “Not too much. I have met [Donovan] a couple times but haven’t had that many interactions. Coach [Larry] Shy[att] on the other hand I talked to before. I [spoke to him when I] committed to Wooster, since he is an alum. And Coach [Richard] Pitino and I have some interesting history as well. When I was at IMG [Prep Academy], Coach Rick Pitino actually asked me to walk on at Louisville while he was there recruiting Jared Swopshire. About four days before I was going to go visit the campus, [Richard Pitino] called me up and told me they gave away my spot and wouldn’t need me anymore. It was pretty devastating.”

AS: Ending up at Kent State came after a not-to-pleasant experience over at the College of Wooster for you. What has it been like seeing the difference in play in the MAC?

BF: “It has been eye-opening. Division III basketball is alright, but the competition difference is enormous. Being in a mid-major conference like the MAC has been a great experience. There are a lot of players in this league, and it’s always fun to be the underdog.”

AS: Though your memory with coach Pitino is unfortunate, your team has a chance to get you a little revenge. Kent State already took down Cleveland State (a NCAA Tournament darling in 2010) this year and as a team has faced some big programs in the past, but what is the feeling around there about coming down to face a former National Champion in Florida?

BF: “We are all really, really excited. There are actually a lot of connections between the two programs. Our all-conference center Justin Greene played high school with Erv[ing Walker] and we have a transfer from Rutgers, Patrick Jackson, who played last year with Mike Rosario. This one has been circled on the calendar for a while.”

AS: Obviously we are not looking for your team’s game plan, but you guys have undoubtedly been watching tape on Florida and preparing your strategy. What have you been noticing from the tape and trying to key-in on?

BF: “One thing would definitely be their size and speed. They are a real athletic team with a lot of people who can hurt you at any given time. Having guys like Kenny [Boynton] and Erv – who can extend the floor with their shooting abilities – is definitely something we’ll have to watch out for if they get hot early.”

AS: Watching the Gators your whole life, did you ever think you’d be on the court dressed in a college uniform participating in a game in the O’Dome?

BF: “Never. You know this is absolutely a dream come true. When I was little, I would always shoot in my driveway and pretend to be in the O’Dome or in Cameron Indoor. Never did I expect to come back to Gainesville and be playing against the Gators. It’ll be a great experience and something I’ll likely cherish the rest of my life.”

1 » With former Florida Gators running back Emmitt Smith set to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday in Canton, OH, a number of local newspapers have been profiling his exploits both on- and off-the-field. The Pensacola News Journal covered Smith’s commitment to the University of Florida, a very interesting story especially for those not around at the time. Apparently Smith told everyone at Escambia High School that he would don the colors of the school he would choose prior to his announcement. Showing up in red and white, he indicated that he would be committing to Nebraska – a pre-planned deception. “When they called him up to sign, they called him up last,” his mother Mary Smith recalled. “And when they asked him where he was going, Emmitt said, ‘Well, I’m wearing Nebraska colors, I guess I will be going to the University of Florida. There were some very excited people there.”

Some even credit Smith with turning the Gators program around. “It meant a heck of a lot,” said school historian and former media relations director Norm Carlson. “We had the probation, all the other problems in the [19]80s, and we were in need of something to uplift the program and Emmitt was it. I think just the fact he signed with Florida, it really buoyed spirits of Florida fans and certainly the people here.” Former head coach Galen Hall agrees. “Emmitt came here when it looked the bleakest for the Gators, because of the probation we were facing. And for him to come and be a part of it meant a great deal. It allowed us to go out and sell the fact that, hey, here’s a young man who could have gone anywhere, but he’s coming to Florida.”

2 » Concluding a series in which the schools with the brightest future in both football and basketball were determined, CBS Sports listed Florida at No. 1, citing head football coach Urban Meyer’s intensity and head basketball coach Billy Donovan’s determination as the catalysts. Dennis Dodd did a nice job covering Meyer’s health scare, but Gary Parrish takes it to another level while looking at what Donovan has done in his time at Florida. A standout quote is Donovan recalling what he was told prior to the 2005-06 season. [There are some other great quotes, too, so read the article.]

“I’ll never forget this,” he said. “I’m talking to this AAU coach, and I don’t want to name him, but I’m talking to him and he’s telling me, ‘You guys are going to be awful. You’re going to be terrible.’ We were recruiting one of his kids, and he was like, ‘Geez. Who’s my kid going to play with? Joakim Noah? That guy is a role player. Al Horford? He’s a project. Taurean Green is not an SEC guard, and Lee Humphrey is a mid-major catch-and-shoot guy… So he’s telling me all this and I’m listening, but the whole time I’m sitting there thinking, ‘I don’t know. I kinda like these guys. I think we’ve got a chance to be pretty good.’”

Photo Credit: Pensacola News Journal

Former Florida Gators two-time National Champion point guard Taurean Green has signed a two-year deal with C.B. Gran Canaria 2014 of the ACB League.

After averaging 15.3 points and 3.5 assists last season for AEK Athens in the Greek A1 League, Green will return to Spain where he first played with CAI Zaragoza (2008-09).

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!

AS: A lot of players dominate in college and then regress in the pros against better competition. Not only have you maintained your production, in many ways you have improved. How have you been able to accomplish that?
AH: “When I got to Florida, I did a lot of work to get better as a player with Coach [Billy] Donovan and Coach [Anthony] Grant, when he was there. And I just progressively got better every year like some of my other teammates who were with me. I think the key with the NBA is I’m still staying hungry, I feel like I can get a lot better still. I’m still working on my game. I have not reached my full potential yet. I think that’s why I’m able to improve every year.”

AS: You played high school basketball in Michigan. What was it about the University of Florida that made you decide to play there?
AH: “To be honest, it was taking that official visit and seeing Gainesville and the campus for myself. I was really sold as soon as I came in – the nice campus and the buildings and the palm trees and everything. I fell in love with that. I never told Coach that. I tried to act tough on my visit, but I knew that I wanted to go there as soon as I saw all of that. I really liked it. To top it off, I got to hang out with Corey Brewer and Taurean Green for my official visit, and I had met Joakim [Noah] – I played with him early in the summer – so I had a chance to spend some time with him, I knew he was going there. It made my decision a lot easier.”

AS: How often do you get a chance to speak with Coach Donovan?
AH: “I talk to him probably once a month. Lately, we’ve been texting a lot more. I always keep up with the Gators – basketball and football.”

AS: Have you been able to watch a lot of Gators basketball this season? From what you have seen, what do they need to work on to be a tournament-caliber team?
AH: “I’ve been able to watch quite a bit. They’ve been on TV more up here. I feel like they’re heading in the right direction now. They are still growing and learning, but I think the bigs really have to pick their game up consistently in order for them to have any chance of making the tournament.”

AS: If you were in Gainesville on Coach Donovan’s staff and had the chance to work with Alex Tyus and Vernon Macklin, how would you coach them up?
AH: “I would tell them to go out there and just play hard and do the things that Coach is telling them to do. Coach is experienced, he’s been there, and he’s looking out for their best interests. [They should not] worry so much about their individual numbers and stuff, just go out there do the things to impact winning – defending, rebounding, blocking shots. From all that, I think that will generate offense for them. That is something that every player looks for. Me and Joakim looked for that when we were there. We followed what Coach had to tell us. We believed in him, and I think that made the biggest difference for our team.”

AS: Finally, how did you end up in Ciara’s “Never Ever” music video last year? Is there anything your fans need to know about that?
AH: [Laughing] “Man, that was crazy. She came to one of my games last year, and I guess she saw me on the court. She got a hold of my agent and sent the information over that she would for like me to participate in her next video. My agent talked to me about it, and as soon as he brought it up, I was like ‘Yeah!’ You always want to be a part of a music video – that was always my thing. So I was so excited, I was like ‘Yeah, I’ll do it!’ I guess she went to the game and saw me and thought that I’d be a good look for the video.” Ciara’s “Never Ever” Music Video (skip to 4:29).

Horford will appear in his first NBA All-Star Game on Sun., Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. on TNT.

Check out the sporting world’s reaction to Meyer’s announcement after the jump!!!

Florida Gators senior quarterback Tim Tebow:
“I love Coach Meyer. The past four years he has been my dad away from home. We will always have a father-son relationship for the rest of our lives. Coach loves the university, his players and the fans. I believe he has made the right decision for him and his family. He will always be loved by me and the Gator faithful.”

Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Dan Mullen:
“Urban has had a tremendous impact on not just my career, but my life and the lives of each student-athlete that has had the opportunity to learn from him. Megan’s and my thoughts and prayers are with Urban and his family at this time and we wish them much happiness in the future. There will be a void in college football during his absence.”

Florida State Seminoles retiring head coach Bobby Bowden:
“It’s a surprise to everybody. I hope he’s OK physically because he’s done as great a job at the University of Florida as has been done there, or anywhere else. I admire the way he handles himself and I really like his family. The college coaching profession will really miss him.”

USC Trojans head coach Pete Carroll:
“Urban’s been an extraordinary figure in college football. Whatever he’s got to do – he’s as tough as nails – he’ll get back if he can. If he’s not able to, I hope everybody is pulling and praying and sending all the love that we can. I know he’s going to be tough enough to bounce [back] if he can. We wish him the very best – and particularly to his family.”

Texas Longhorns head coach Mack Brown:

Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban:
“He’s a first-class coach and the success he’s had is unmatched in our profession, especially over the last five years at Florida. We hope he is able to regain his health and have the opportunity to coach again in a future. Urban Meyer is a great person as well as a great coach, and the game of college football is better with him as a part of it.”

LSU Tigers head coach Les Miles:
“Its a shocker. I wish him well. He’s a family man. We all want for him to have good health.”

Tennessee Volunteers head coach Lane Kiffin:
“Just got the news about Coach Meyer. The SEC and college football are suffering a huge loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.”

Ole Miss Rebels head coach Houston Nutt:
“Who would have ever thought waking up this morning that Urban Meyer would step down? It’s a shame. It really is.”

TCU Horned Frogs head coach Gary Patterson:
“Being a college football coach, especially at the level of Florida, is like being on Wall Street. It’s a pressure that multiplies when you consider all the different things that go along with it. You’re talking about millions of dollars, the pressure to win, the fan base. It’s a seven-day evaluation.”

Cleveland Browns defensive back Abram Elam:
“The news of Urban Meyer stepping down is really unfortunate. My family and I will keep him in our prayers.”

Atlanta Hawks forward/center Al Horford:
“I wish for Urban’s recovery. He has to get healthy and take care of that. Stay strong Gator Nation.”

Former Florida Gators point guard Taurean Green:
“Get your health right Urban Meyer, [I'm] pulling for you.”

2 » Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin, who has been dealing with migraine headaches his entire life, recently visited the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, NY, for further examination. According to head coach Brad Childress, Harvin had a “good” visit and is back at practice ready to play on Monday Night Football against the Chicago Bears. “Yeah, it’s a relief,” Harvin said after returning from his doctor’s visit. “Without going into [specifics], we had a great visit and came up with a great plan. I saw great doctors and it should be good from now on. I’m all good.” Still, Harvin’s chronic migraines continue to have his coach, teammates and Gators and Vikings fans worried.

3 » Veteran NBA writer Steve Aschburner has written a terrific piece for NBA.com on the Oh-Fours. Centering on Atlanta Hawks forward/center Al Horford, the article suggests that he is “still the leader of [a] special group of Gators” also including Chicago Bulls F/C Joakim Noah, Minnesota Timberwolves F Corey Brewer and AEK Athens B.C. point guard Taurean Green. Aschburner’s article is an absolute must-read but here is just one quote from Horford: “We have a saying, the guys who came in with my class: ‘04’s For Life,’” Horford said. “Any time that we talk to each other or whatever, that’s always brought up. Jo will send me a text and [type it]. I’ll send the same thing to him or the other guys. We go all the way back to that. I think we’re the type of group, we’ve always been happy for each other. Back in college, we didn’t really care who was scoring 20. At the end of the day, we were winning and we were all doing it in a big way. I think we’ve kept the same attitude [in the NBA].”

4 » Looking at the most valuable teams in college sports, Forbes magazine found that the Texas Longhorns earned that distinction by raking in $59 million in profit in 2009 for a total valuation of $119 million. Behind the Longhorns, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Penn State Nittany Lions, Nebraska Cornhuskers and Alabama Crimson Tide are the Florida Gators – with a value of $88 million and $41 million in profits this year.

“When Joakim Noah, Al Horford, Corey Brewer and Taurean Green all signed with Florida, nobody heralded this quartet as the Fab anything,” Seth Davis writes. “Yet, by the end of their junior year, they had led the Gators to back-to-back national championships. All except Green had the opportunity to be first-round draft picks as sophomores, but they came back for the chance to make history — and that’s exactly what they did. They were known as the Oh-Fours.”

Noah’s name was also mentioned on two other SI lists, as a reserve forward for SI’s All-Decade Team and at No. 1 in the “10 signature college basketball moments of the decade.” Of Noah’s entry on the All-Decade Team, Grant Wahl writes, “The most memorable team acts of the decade were Illinois in 2004-05 and Florida in 2005-07, and their all-time chemistry explains why so few of their individuals are making this All-Decade list. But if you’re going to pick one guy from these teams, you have to pick Noah, who could do so many things on the court and took over the 2006 NCAA final.”

As for the second distinction, SI recounts Noah’s now-famous dancing celebration after winning the 2006 SEC Championship. “Noah’s spastic, post-SEC tournament celebration on Selection Sunday did not go down in the annals of dance, but it did capture the essence of the star of Florida’s dynasty. Noah, the son of a French tennis and pop star, was brash and widely reviled by opposing fans — yet he was an unselfish player who admirably passed on the NBA draft as a sophomore, and backed up his antics by winning back-to-back national titles. After a shocked Verne Lundquist ceded the CBS stage by saying, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, Joakim Noah,’ Bill Raftery asked Noah a question about seeding. The Gators, who’d slipped a bit down the stretch in ’06-07, were likely to enter their title defense as a No. 2 seed. Noah’s response? ‘Who cares! At the end of the day, it’s yours against mine — we’ll see who gets it!’ For two straight NCAA tournaments, the Gators got it.” They sure did.