FOUR BITS: Haden, Tebow, eye black rule, Jones

By Adam Silverstein
April 15, 2010

1 » Former Florida Gators cornerback Joe Haden has been announced as one of 12 players selected to be featured on ESPN‘s three-time Emmy Award-winning program Sport Science. All 12 special segments will air throughout the network’s coverage of the 2010 NFL Draft from April 22-24. Other big names who will be featured include Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and South Florida defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul.

2 » Palm Beach Autographs will host another University of Florida-themed signing session this weekend in Jacksonville, FL. Featured at the event will be Haden; center Maurkice Pouncey; wide receivers Riley Cooper, David Nelson and Brandon James; linebackers Brandon Spikes, Dustin Doe and Ryan Stamper; and cornerback Wondy Pierre-Louis. Autograph prices range from $10-$50, or you can buy a combo package for $145. For more information, check out their Web site.

Two more BITS on the Jacksonville Jaguars’ interest in Tim Tebow, a new NCAA eye black rule and an honor for A.J. Jones…after the break!

3 » Jacksonville Jaguars fans are still pushing their organization to draft former Gators quarterback Tim Tebow next weekend. Even so, team general manger Gene Smith admires Tebow but will not draft him higher than his perceived value. “He’s the right type of person, a leader,” Smith told The Florida Times-Union. “I don’t know that there’s a more competitive football player in the country. I have great respect for our fans on how they feel about Tim. […] If you believe in [picking] best available player and stack your draft board with a value line in place, and if you stay with your board and he’s the guy on top of the board [when it’s time to pick], it’s no different than for any other player. He’s a guy we think a lot of. […] You grade every player for who they are. […] I’d treat Tim Tebow like any other player in the draft.”

4 » Something that endeared Tebow to some of his fans, his religious-themed eye black messages, will not be something redshirt junior John Brantley or any other player will be allowed to replicate in 2010. The NCAA has banned both eye black messages and wedge blocking in 2010 while instituting a penalty for taunting that could remove points from the violating player’s team in 2011.

Extra Bit » Florida redshirt senior linebacker A.J. Jones has been named to the 2010 Lott Trophy watch list. He is one of 42 student-athletes to earn the preseason honor and hopes to follow Texas Christian’s Jerry Hughes, who won the award in 2009.

Photo Credit: Andy Lyons/Getty Images

7 Comments

  1. npgator says:

    I cannot believe that taunting could result in having points taken away! Talk about giving a ref the ability to completely decide a game! I hope that never happens.

  2. Daniel M. says:

    @np

    But I bet we see a drastic drop in guys drawing attention to themselves on the way into the end zone. Hernandez took his time going into the endzone at the 08 rain game at FSU. I wonder if that would have been “deemed” taunting? A taunting call wouldn’t be reviewable. How do you determine what is taunting and what isn’t?

  3. Mr2Bits says:

    If the refs can dictate points by way of penalty, football as you know it will be out the window. You will see fixed games and crooked refs running rampant. No way, no how should refs be able to throw a yellow hankie and take away points. Unsportsmanlikes are already ripped a new one as they are purely discretionary, just ask the fans of the GA/LSU game last year….what a farce.

    Now onto the Jags and their drafting. Well, they are about as good as the Bucs when it comes to drafting. In short both teams suck. So if they have a board and think that they are getting the best players, then so be it as I hope he plays well in LA or Vegas when they move the team.

  4. Jeff says:

    The NCAA is becoming like the federal govt. Overbearing and intrusive. They should not have the authority to regulate free speech–its unconscionable that they have the power to do this. Let the kids play! Ridiculous decision.

  5. 305gator says:

    that rule is absolutely ridiculous.

  6. dlatGATOR says:

    who cares if a player celebrates on the way to the endzone? let the players have fun out there! football is supposed to be a fun game. they are turning football into something totally different than how it was as i grew up to love the game.

  7. Amy says:

    If the refs can dictate points by way of penalty, football as you know it will be out the window. You will see fixed games and crooked refs running rampant. No way, no how should refs be able to throw a yellow hankie and take away points. Unsportsmanlikes are already ripped a new one as they are purely discretionary, just ask the fans of the GA/LSU game last year….what a farce.

    Now onto the Jags and their drafting. Well, they are about as good as the Bucs when it comes to drafting. In short both teams suck. So if they have a board and think that they are getting the best players, then so be it as I hope he plays well in LA or Vegas when they move the team.

Leave a Reply to Amy Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Top
WordPress Appliance - Powered by TurnKey Linux