From time to time, OGGOA will come across a plethora of news and notes that we wish to share with our readers. In those instances, we present a special post: Gator Bites. Enjoy.

» Former Florida Gators forward/center David Lee of the Golden State Warriors was the subject of a piece by Harvey Araton of The New York Times on Monday. Lee, who has spent his whole career with the New York Knicks after they drafted him coming out of college, has a special bond with the team and has been the face of the franchise over the last few years. Read about how he went out of his way to represent the team (even after being traded to Golden State) at a funeral for longtime NBA and Madison Square Garden security official Scott Jaffer and how he will always be remembered in New York for being such an upstanding person.

» Interviewed by the NFL Network about his throwing mechanics, San Diego Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers went through the motions with some of the studio analysts on Monday. Because of the subject matter, Rivers was asked about Denver Broncos rookie QB Tim Tebow’s motion, and the veteran offered advice and insight into what Tebow may and may not need to do going forward.

» Florida should be excited about 2011 five-star shooting guard commitment Brad Beal (St. Louis, MO) – he could be the best player the team has signed since guard Nick Calathes. Then again, with one of the top players in the country considering his future in a different sport, there is a slight cause for concern. With his father and two brothers all having played collegiate football, Beal tells USA Today that he is “still trying to decide” which sport to play. “My brothers, especially my younger brothers, want me to play football so we can be on the same team,” Beal said. “But my mom always tells me, ‘You don’t have the body for football, so you have to stick to basketball.’” Don’t get it twisted – his future is on the court – not the field. Having a former Gators star like Lee (who also graduated from Chaminade High School) in his ear certainly helps. “We don’t have that much in common because we play different positions,” Beal said. “He came back to visit the school, and I talk to him during lunch period. He gave me input on the game.”

» While Beal is deciding what sport to play, four-star cornerback Nick Waisome (Groveland, FL) is just trying to figure out what school to end. According to the Orlando Sentinel’s Chris Hays, Waisome now considers his final five to Florida, Florida State, LSU, Georgia and South Carolina; he plans to decide in August.

» Updating a previous item, four-star wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin (Belle Glade, FL) still considers the Gators to be the leader for his services, even after having Miami Hurricanes commitment four-star quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (Miami, FL) in his ear during the Nike 7-on-7 Championship last Saturday. “Florida is still in the lead,” Benjamin told SoFLAfootball.com. “I like Florida and what they showed me, how they would use me. I like Miami too and Florida State, so all the Florida teams, they’re really up there. But I like Florida.”

Three more BITES on Meyer, Smith and Werner…after the break!
Continue Reading » Gator Bites for Tuesday, July 20th

Tags: Brad Beal, Chris Bosh, Dan Werner, David Lee, Denver Broncos, Dwyane Wade, Emmitt Smith, Golden State Warriors, Kelvin Benjamin, Lane Kiffin, LeBron James, Luther Campbell, Madison Square Garden, Miami Heat, Miami Hurricanes, Mike Miller, NBA, New York Knicks, NFL, Nick Calathes, Nike, San Diego Chargers, Teddy Bridgewater, Tim Tebow, Udonis Haslem, Urban Meyer, USC Trojans, Walter Payton

1 » Though he did not commit to the team as was rumored late last week due to a falsified e-mail, five-star athlete James Wilder, Jr. (Tampa, FL) does have a leader: the Florida Gators are the “team to beat,” according to Rivals’s Mark Wheeler. “Sources say [his upcoming visits are] more to confirm his choice of Florida than anything else,” Wheeler wrote. “Wilder Jr. is enthused that Florida looks to be moving to a more traditional power running game.” In addition to recruiting fullbacks, the Gators are “expected to still feature the dive play and many inside and off-tackle running plays, but instead of [Tim] Tebow carrying the ball, Wilder would be the guy. Throw in his comfort level at Florida as well as that of his family, and the Gators will be tough to beat.”

2 » Former Florida running back Emmitt Smith has done plenty in his career. An inductee to the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year, he holds NFL career records for rushing yards (18,355), rushing touchdowns (164) and 100+ yard rushing games (78). The eight-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time Super Bowl champion was also the 1989 Southeastern Conference Player of the Year and is a member of the Gators’ Ring of Honor. But where he may have made his biggest impact is at Escambia High School, where he began his legacy. The Florida High School Athletic Association Player of the Century, Smith was not only a great player, his presence at the school helped ease racial tensions. “I wasn’t thinking about any racial tensions when I got to Escambia,” Smith told the Canton Repository. “It never dawned on me that I was part of a transformation at the school. I knew Escambia had a negative past, but I saw it was over and done with. I had played with white guys, black guys, all kinds of guys. Maybe that was me being naive.”

Four more BITS on Percy Harvin’s charity work, Cornelius Ingram’s knee, Gators on the Miami Heat and The Open Championship…after the break!
Continue Reading » SIX BITS: Wilder, Smith, Harvin, Ingram, Heat, golf

Tags: Brian Gay, Camilo Villegas, Cornelius Ingram, Emmitt Smith, Escambia, Florida High School Athletic Association, golf, James Andrews, James Wilder, Mark Calcavecchia, Miami Heat, Mike Miller, Minnesota Vikings, NBA, NFL, Percy Harvin, PGA, Philadelphia Eagles, Player of the Century, Player of the Year, Pro Bowl, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Ring of Honor, SEC, Super Bowl, The Open Championship, Tim Tebow, Udonis Haslem, University of Florida

Reported by OGGOA on July 9 and July 13, respectively, former Florida Gators guard/forward Mike Miller has decided to join the Miami Heat and power forward Matt Bonner has chosen to re-sign with the San Antonio Spurs.

Contract specifics for both players were made available Wednesday night.

Miller is set to sign a five-year, $29.8 million contract with the Heat on Thursday, according to FOX Sports. He will becoming the second former Florida player on the team alongside PF Udonis Haslem; the two Gators were also teammates in Gainesville, FL.

The Spurs have signed Bonner, a bench player for the team since 2006, to a four-year, $16 million deal that will help San Antonio maintain consistency in the front court.

OGGOA RELATED: Miller, Heat agree on five-year, $30 million deal
OGGOA RELATED: Matt Bonner agrees to return to San Antonio

Tags: Matt Bonner, Miami Heat, Mike Miller, NBA, San Antonio Spurs, Udonis Haslem

Former Florida Gators power forward Udonis Haslem has decided to turn down substantially larger offers from competing teams in order to remain with the Miami Heat, agreeing to a five-year, $20 million deal on Monday.

“I would be changing my DNA if I left just for money,” he told the Associated Press.

After signing guard Dwyane Wade to a six-year, $107 million contract and forwards LeBron James and Chris Bosh to identical six-year, $110 million deals, Miami immediately concentrated on bringing two former Florida players under contract.

First, the Heat reached an agreement on a five-year, $30 million deal with guard/forward Mike Miller after trading former No. 2 overall pick PF Michael Beasley for cap space and a second round pick. With each of the “big three” sacrificing $15 million over the life of their deals, Miami made a move to bring back Haslem, Wade’s best friend on the team since the superstar was drafted in 2003.

Haslem drew serious interest from at least three other teams who put tempting offers on the table. The Denver Nuggets and Dallas Mavericks each reportedly offered him a five-year, $34 million mid-level exception contract over the weekend, and the New Jersey Nets offered three years and $20 million last week.

“[I] turned down full mid level [exceptions] from Dallas and Denver. See [yo]u next season,” Haslem said in an e-mail to the paper.

Spending almost his entire life playing basketball in the state of Florida (spent one season in France), he decided to turn down higher contracts in order to play with his friend and be a part of what could be a very special team.

Think Haslem is happy to play with Miller again?

“That’s my boy from day one,” he told the Sun-Sentinel. “That’s my college roommate. He’s like Dwyane is to me, just a different color.”

A seven-year NBA veteran, Haslem earned $7.1 million with the Heat last season. He has averaged 10.0 points and 8.1 rebounds throughout his career.

Photo Credit: Gary Dineen/Getty Images

Tags: Chris Bosh, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Miami Heat, Mike Miller, NBA, New Jersey Nets, Udonis Haslem

Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade considers former Florida Gators power forward Udonis Haslem one of his best friends. That is likely one reason why he took almost $3 million less than cohorts forward LeBron James and power forward Chris Bosh when signing with Miami a few days ago – to free up some money to re-sign Haslem.

Unfortunately for Wade and perhaps the Heat as well, Haslem has drawn interest from at least two other teams who have put solid and tempting offers on the table. First the New Jersey Nets and then the Dallas Mavericks each offered him a three-year, $20 million contract over the weekend, hoping to lure Haslem with a guarantee of more money and significantly more playing time.

Though he has spent almost his entire life playing basketball in the state of Florida, loves his home (as evidenced by his back tat) and wants to stick around, Haslem may be at the point in his career where the guarantee of a few million more per season significantly outweighs the ability to play with a close friend.

The Atlanta Hawks, New York Knicks and Utah Jazz have been mentioned previously as teams who had expressed interest in Haslem.

A seven-year NBA veteran, he earned $7.1 million last season but is being looked at by New Jersey and Dallas as a full mid-level exception player. Miami can currently only offer $1.1 million per year – the veteran’s minimum – but will likely be able to up that offer as their available salary cap gets clearer.

Haslem has averaged 10.0 points and 8.1 rebounds throughout his career.

Photo Credit: Gary Dineen/Getty Images

Tags: Atlanta Hawks, Chris Bosh, Dallas Mavericks, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Miami Heat, NBA, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, Udonis Haslem, Utah Jazz

1 » Seemingly one of a few free agents unable to be re-signed by the Miami Heat after the team acquired guard Dwyane Wade, forward LeBron James and power forward Chris Bosh, former Florida Gators PF Udonis Haslem is currently weighing his options of what team to join next. According to various reports, the Atlanta Hawks, New York Knicks, Utah Jazz and New Jersey Nets all have interest in signing the NBA veteran who earned $7.1 million last season. It is also being mentioned that Miami does desire to keep Haslem but can currently only offer him a veteran’s minimum contract of $1.1 million. However, should president and general manager Pat Riley work out dual sign-and-trades with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors, respectively, the team could theoretically re-sign all of their roleplaying free agents. Haslem has averaged 10.0 points and 8.1 rebounds in his seven-year career.

In related news… Former Gators PF Chris Richard has joined the Chicago Bulls‘ summer league team after being waved by the team following the 2009-10 season.

2 » Florida is very conscious of its intellectual property being utilized without consent elsewhere – whether it is for a money-making gimmick or, apparently, the mascot of a small rural school in Arkansas. According to the Associated Press, the Two Rivers School District in Russellville, AR, is being forced to change “the look of its mascot after the University of Florida said it infringed on their trademarked Gator logo and design.” The school will need to spend approximately $8,000 to remove the brand new logo from their gymnasium. Public relations-wise, UF does not come off looking too good here, but the school must protect its intellectual property…and this logo is as bad as it gets!

Photo Credit: Gary Dineen/Getty Images

Tags: Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, Chris Bosh, Chris Richard, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Miami Heat, NBA, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, Pat Riley, Toronto Raptors, Udonis Haslem, University of Florida, Utah Jazz

With three perennial NBA All-Stars in guard Dwyane Wade, forward LeBron James and power forward Chris Bosh now committed to play for the Miami Heat, team president and general manager Pat Riley is in the process of filling out the remainder of his roster. Riley hopes that former Florida Gators guard/forward Mike Miller will go a long way to doing just that after quickly signing the widely desired free agent to a five-year, $30 million contract Friday morning.

The former Florida star decided to accept a deal rumored to be substantially less than a “big” sum of money also offered by the Los Angeles Clippers.

Miller, extended almost the exact same contract by the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers on July 1, was rumored to have been given a deadline of Thursday night to decide whether or not he would take the Heat’s offer.

Miami is able to bring in an additional free agent after trading PF Michael Beasley, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a 2011 second-round pick and the option to swap an undisclosed future first-round pick.

Teaming up with Wade, James and Bosh, Miller will have the opportunity to become the third former Gators star to win an NBA Championship with the Heat, following PF Udonis Haslem and point guard Jason Williams. San Antonio Spurs F Matt Bonner has also captured a league title.

He averaged 10.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists last year with the Washington Wizards, his only season with the team.

OGGOA RELATED: Knicks send Lee to Warriors via sign and trade

Tags: Chris Bosh, Draft, Dwyane Wade, Jason Williams, LeBron James, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Matt Bonner, Miami Heat, Michael Beasley, Mike Miller, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA, Pat Riley, San Antonio Spurs, Udonis Haslem, Washington Wizards

1 » Former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow will have plenty of doubters to prove on throughout his career with the Denver Broncos, but he is most concerned with making his new head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Brian Xanders feel confident in their decision to select him with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. “I definitely take pride in the coaches picking me and take pride in the fact that I want to prove them right,” Tebow told NFL.com. “That’ll be a goal of mine in playing in the National Football League – to prove coach McDaniels right and to prove Brian Xanders right and to prove the people that supported me right. That’s something that I’ll take pride in trying to do.” As to him playing as a rookie? “I don’t even think about it like that,” Tebow added. “I think about every day I have to get better, and if I do that, then I’ll be satisfied with myself and going in and getting better every day. Because that’s all I can control and that’s what I’m going to worry about.”

2 » Just one year ago, amid speculation that he might be headed elsewhere, Urban Meyer agreed to a six-year, $24 million contract to remain head coach at Florida. According to ESPN’s Mike Fish, who spoke with Gators athletic director Jeremy Foley, Meyer is on the verge of finally signing his new deal, the terms of which were finalized way back on Aug. 3, 2009. “It’ll get signed sometime in the next month or so, if not sooner,” Foley said. “There are no hang-ups. Bottom line, he has a [previously signed] contract that has four years left to run on it. It’s not like he doesn’t have a contract. And he is getting compensated at the new rate. We have an agreement with Urban Meyer at the new rate, and the contract will get signed here shortly.” Regarding Meyer’s health, Foley remains unfazed. “It’s going to be fine,” he said. “It’s not like I have to worry about him having those issues day-to-day. He is a high-energy guy. He is a guy who has total commitment to what he does. I don’t think that has changed.”

3 » Former Gators forward/center Chris Richard, who appeared in 18 games for the Chicago Bulls last season, was waived by the team on Wednesday. Richard averaged 2.1 points and 3.3 rebounds in 12.4 minutes of action per game and was signed after fellow Florida F/C Joakim Noah was injured during the season. He will likely be signed to Chicago’s summer league roster and may find himself back on the team next year.

4 » With NBA free agency beginning literally as this is typed, some former Gators are available to be signed and others may factor into potential sign-and-trade scenarios. Former New York Knicks F/C David Lee, former Washington Wizards guard Mike Miller and former Miami Heat power forward Udonis Haslem are three of the most prominent “second tier” free agents available. Lee also has the possibility of being involved in a sign-and-trade situation, and Noah could always be moved off of the Bulls in an effort to get a bigger-name free agent under a long-term contract.

Extra BIT » Squidbillies is the name of a cartoon aired during Cartoon Network‘s Adult Swim programming block. Tom Treebow is the name of its new character, a parody of Tebow. He will debut on the show on July 11, but you can catch a glimpse right here.

Photo Credit: Richard Graulich/The Palm Beach Post

Tags: Brian Xanders, Chicago Bulls, Chris Richard, David Lee, Denver Broncos, Draft, Jeremy Foley, Joakim Noah, Josh McDaniels, Miami Heat, Mike Miller, NBA, New York Knicks, NFL, Squidbillies, Tim Tebow, Tom Treebow, Udonis Haslem, Urban Meyer, Washington Wizards