Current EventsThe Sunshine State

Sacred cows

For better or worse, right or wrong, there are two institutions I associated with Florida as a growing lad: Publix and Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-Q. When I moved with my family to Florida in 1979, there were was one developed corner of what is now a major intersection – and on that lonely corner of incadecent and neon lights sat our neighborhood Sonny’s. With my mother’s…
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Current Events

State of my sanity

I had this idea this afternoon: I would sit through the State of the Union speech with a pen and note pad, like I was in a lecture hall taking notes in school. Then I would listen to the Democrat response and see if it was really a response at all. Then I would pick both of them apart. Then I saw that there was a new episode of Rome AND Heroes on the DVR. I tuned into the speech sometime after…
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Current EventsSports

Football

There are a lot of reasons why I wouldn’t be a Peyton Manning fan. He played for the University of Tennessee, Florida’s biggest rival in the SEC in the 1990s. He plays for the Indianapolis Colts, arguably the Patriots’ biggest rival in the AFC over the last ten years. He doesn’t have a Hollywood, rags to riches story. You could argue that he’s never been the underdog…
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Current EventsSports

Upon further review

I’ve read a lot about OSU’s mistakes… particularly the characterization that those early personal fouls put them behind the eight ball. However, that first personal foul by the OSU kicker on UF’s Brandon James (on the kick-off return) was not a bad foul. The kicker is usually the last man to beat on a kick-off return. If the OSU kicker doesn’t bring James down by his…
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Current Events

Impact players… and a correction

OSU running back Antonio Pittman accounted for 76 percent of his team’s total offense. Sixty two of OSU’s eighty two yards of offense were attributable to Pittman. That means that the rest of the OSU offense gained a grand total of TWENTY YARDS for the game. I still can’t believe it. — My appologies to The Ohio State University. No disrespect was intended last night when I…
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Current Events

The lost Gramatica brother?

According to the AP, OSU’s top receiver (Ted Ginn Jr) was injured while celebrating his opening kick-off return for a touchdown (aided by a holding non-call though it may have been). Kidding aside, I think I feel worse for Ginn than I do for Troy Smith. You look forward to this game for almost two months, and you get injured after less than thirty seconds (game time). Then, you have to watch…
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Current EventsSports

The word according to Fox

Facts that will get air play later today (if Fox can be believed): OSU: Less than 90 yards total offense for the game. Troy Smith, the Heisman Trophy winner: The lowest passer rating in BCS history (O.K. … so it’s not a very long history). Jim Tressel: Worst loss in his career as a head coach (in points differential). All year the Gators were know for their great defense… but I…
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Current EventsSports

All is forgiven

I have no choice but to admit I was a Chris Leak doubter. But this is not a night for remembering the past. Tonight, Chris Leak proved to everyone that his numbers are not a fluke. He proved to everyone that he’s got as much mental toughness as any player on the UF football team. On the first play of the game, OSU got away with a holding penalty… and got on the board first. It was a…
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