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Gator Bytes – Palm Beach Post

Agent likes Nick Saban’s message, hates that it comes from Nick Saban

Everybody heard Alabama coach Nick Saban’s rant on agents being like pimps, right?

In case you missed it, Saban is incensed by the recent wave of allegations concerning improper agent-athlete exchanges. This is what he said at last week’s SEC Football Media Days in Hoover, Ala.:

“I don’t think it’s anything but greed that is creating it right now on behalf of the agents. Agents that do this — I hate to say this, but how are they any better than a pimp? I have no respect for people who do that to young people. None. I mean, none. How would you feel if they did it to your child?”

First, I wonder if he knows what pimps actually do. I’m not the arbiter of all morals (I believe that role belongs to Wes Helms), but I’d probably say being a pimp is worse than being an unscrupulous agent.

Anyway, one agent I spoke with shared Saban’s irritation and even agreed with the coach’s suggestion that agents who break the rules should have their licenses suspended for one year.

“How about permanently?” the agent said. “I hope they come down as hard as they can on those who did it because I’ve lost many players because I haven’t done those things.

“The profession is what it is,”. There s a lot of dirtbags out there and we all get lumped in.”

What the agent did not like, though, is that the message comes from the guy who said, “I’m not going to be the Alabama coach,” then became the Alabama coach. Or the guy whose $4-million-a-year salary essentially comes from his ability to get unpaid young people to obey his every command. A guy known for being a tyrant.

“Come on. Nick Saban?” the agent said. “This is coming from Nick Saban? What about leaving kids high and dry when he makes promises?

I love Nick getting involved in this. It’s ok for him to manipulate everyone he can to get whatever he wants, but if we do it, it’s reprehensible.”

The agent also reiterated a point several SEC coaches made last week: the players are guilty in this as well. He said he has spoken with college players who projected as late-round draft picks who told him they would not sign unless he paid them a certain figure every month.

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Tim Tebow to model underwear for Jockey

The underwear war is on fire.

In one corner, Hanes lines up Michael Jordan. To counter, Jockey is going with Tim Tebow.

In a press release, Jockey announced it signed Tebow and will use him in advertisements and their catalog.

Click here for more on the story from SPORTSbyBROOKS.

Click here to see Tebow, who Jockey now calls its “No. 1 Draft Pick.”

Apparently, wearing Jockey is nothing new for Tebow.

“I’m excited to represent the Jockey brand and to work with such an innovative company,” Tebow said in the press release. “I’ve long been a fan and consumer of Jockey, and think they make a quality product with a great fit. I’m looking forward to a great relationship with such a respectable company.”

Tebow, the former Florida Gators quarterback now with the Denver Broncos, already had deals with Nike and EA Sports.

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Rankings mash-up has Gators No. 4, ‘Canes 14th, ‘Noles 17th; Plus: Miami-UF in Orange Bowl?

At SEC Football Media Days last week, the conference released a composite rankings based on seven college football preview guides.

The rankings were pulled from The Sporting News, Lindy’s, Athlon, Yahoo, Kickoff, Phil Steele and Blue Ribbon.

The state’s big three landed in the top 17, led by Florida at No. 4. Kickoff has the Gators third, behind Alabama and Ohio State, while the low is Steele’s No. 7 ranking.

Miami was 14th, ranging from No. 4 to No. 21. Florida State was as high as 10th and as low as unranked.

The SEC has six of the top 25. Of the top 25, four are on Florida’s schedule this fall.

Here is the top 25 (first-place selections in parenthesis):

1. Alabama (5)
2. Ohio State (1)
3. Boise State
4. Florida
5. Oklahoma (1)
6. Texas
7. Texas Christian
8. Southern California*
9. Virginia Tech
10. Iowa
11. Oregon
12. Nebraska
13. Wisconsin
14. Miami
15. Pittsburgh
16. North Carolina
17. Florida State
18. Arkansas
19. Georgia Tech
20. LSU
21. Auburn
22t. Georgia
22t. Penn State
24. West Virginia
25. Oregon State

ARV: Connecticut, Cincinnati, Notre Dame, South Carolina, Washington, Houston, Navy, Utah, Missouri, Texas A&M, Clemson, Arizona.

Sidenote: ‘Canes vs. Gators in the 2011 Orange Bowl? Steele thinks so.

Here are Steele’s BCS bowl match-ups:

Championship (Glendale, Ariz.): Ohio State vs. Oklahoma
Rose: Southern California* vs. Iowa
Fiesta: Nebraska vs. Pittsburgh
Sugar: Alabama vs. Texas Christian
Orange: Miami vs. Florida

If it happens, the Hurricanes and Gators squaring off at Sun Life Stadium would be a huge game for two fan bases that really seem to love each other.

How would it happen?

1. Miami wins the ACC, but does not play in the BCS title game.
2. Alabama wins the SEC but does not finish in the top two in the BCS.
3. Florida has nine or more wins and finishes in the top 14 of the BCS.
4. Alabama to the Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl takes Florida as its at-large selection.

This whole situation is impossible if the ACC media is correct about the Hurricanes finishing second in their own division this season.

* ineligible for bowl games or rankings in 2010 and 2011 seasons. (Steele has Oregon next in line for the Rose Bowl).

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Corey Brewer happy to have Michael Beasley in Minnesota

Former Florida Gators basketball star Corey Brewer is excited about teaming with Michael Beasley.

Brewer is heading into his fourth season with the Minnesota Timberwolves and said Beasley, despite his off-court problems, can provide a huge boost to a rebuilding team. Minnesota acquired Beasley, 21, from the Miami Heat this month.

“I like that move a lot,” Brewer said at his camp at Santa Fe College. “He’s very athletic and can score a lot and we need that. I don’t know him too well, but I know his game and I like that.

“I’m going to try to stick by his side. He’s been down in South Beach and South Beach is a little different than Minnesota, so we should be able to keep him out of trouble.”

Brewer also was unhappy with team president David Kahn’s public reference to Beasley’s marijuana issues, but said it was a mistake and the organization has moved past it.

Proceeds from Brewer’s camp go to his Corey Brewer Fight Diabetes Fund, which benefits Shands HealthCare. The camp also moved from the O’Connell Center to SFC.

Both of Brewer’s parents have diabetes and his father recently lost his vision due to the disease.

“It means a lot to me because if I can help somebody else, it’s always good for me,” Brewer said.

It originally included fellow ex-Gator Joakim Noah, but Noah had a scheduling conflict and withdrew.

Brewer, who helped the Gators to NCAA titles in 2006 and ‘07, averaged career-highs in points (13.0) and assists (2.4) last season.

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Lane Kiffin’s unprofessional methods get him sued

This may surprise you, but some people think Lane Kiffin is a clown.

Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher and (his magnificent mustache) is upset with Kiffin because he pried Fisher’s running backs coach away without the courtesy of a phone call. Now the Titans are suing Kiffin and Southern California for “maliciously interfering with the contract” of former Fisher assistant Kennedy Pola.

Pola left the team a week before training camp to become Kiffin’s offensive coordinator at Southern Cal. Fisher did not mind Pola taking the opportunity, but he was irritated that no one from USC called to give him a heads-up. He received a voicemail from Kiffin after Pola already accepted the new job.

“I am very disappointed in Lane Kiffin’s approach to this,’’ Fisher told The Tennessean. “Typically speaking, when coaches are interested in hiring or discussing potential employment from coaches on respective staffs, there is a courtesy call made from the head coach or athletic director indicating there is an interest in talking to the assistant.

“So I am very disappointed in the lack of professionalism on behalf of Lane, to call me and leave me a voicemail after Kennedy had informed me he had taken the job. It is just a lack of professionalism.’’

Fisher also added, “I’ve always gotten a courtesy call from a head coach or athletic director in the past, but that wasn’t the case. I don’t know (Kiffin) well, so I am not going to pass judgment on his character. But I am surprised.”

Of course, Kiffin’s version of professionalism has already made him very popular in Tennessee and the southeast. He left the Volunteers after 13 months on the job, then tried to pillage their recruiting class. He boasted about how his team would clobber Florida and sing Rocky Top all night long (they lost 23-13). He loudly and inaccurately accused the Gators of a recruiting violation. After signing a Pahokee player, Kiffin made a speech in which he said the people of Pahokee are too poor to afford shoes and shirts and the people who work in its schools are incompetent.

I’m too tired to keep listing them. Check Google if you’re still hungry.

Anyway, after learning of Fisher’s comments, Kiffin released a statement through the USC media relations department

“Kennedy said he would think about it and get back to us,” Kiffin’s statement said. “Once Kennedy did call back earlier today, out of my great respect for Coach Fisher I immediately reached out to Coach to make him aware of the situation. I have spoken with Coach Fisher and he now has an accurate understanding of the timeline of events.

“We realize the timing of this isn’t perfect for all parties, but this is a great opportunity and promotion for Kennedy.”

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Gators’ commit list for upcoming class hits 13 (updated)

Multiple media reports have the Florida Gators receiving commitments from a trio of new prospects.

Offensive lineman Trip Thurman (6-5, 305, Dover, Del.) and Pensacola-Pine Forest cornerback Loucheiz Purifoy (5-11, 175) both committed to Florida on Friday, bringing the Gators’ list of commitments for the upcoming graduating class to 12.

The Orlando Sentinel reported yesterday the addition of No. 13: linebacker Rahim Cassell (6-1, 215) from Lakewood (Calif.) High School.

For what it’s worth, Lakewood High is about a half-hour drive from Southern Cal’s campus. Not that Florida would ever care about taking players from the Southern Cal coach’s backyard.

The Pensacola News Journal reported Purifoy’s commitment.

Florida held its Friday Night Lights camp, which drew talent from around the state. Dwyer DE Curt Maggitt, who said Friday he slightly favors the Gators, and TE Nick O’Leary were among the participants.

Sidenote: Thurman already has his own website.

Here is the list of current Gators commits (all commitments are non-binding until a player enrolls or signs a letter of intent):

Pos.	Player	High School	Ht.	Wt.
QB	Jeff Driskel	Oviedo-Hagerty	6-4	225
RB	Hunter Joyer	Tampa Catholic	6-0	245
WR	Javares McRoy	Lakeland	5-9	170
WR	Ja’Juan Story	Brooksville-Nature Coast	6-3	190
TE	A.C. Leonard	Jacksonville-University Christian	6-2	230
OL	Tommy Jordan	Ridgefield (Conn.)	6-5	295
OL	Trip Thurman	Dover (Del.)	6-5	305
DE	Jeoffrey Pagan	Asheville (N.C.)	6-4	250
LB	Ryan Shazier	Plantation	6-3	205
LB	Rahim Cassell	Lakewood (Calif.)	6-1	215
DB	Loucheiz Purifoy	Pensacola-Pine Forest	5-11	175
AP	De’Ante Saunders	DeLand	6-0	180
K	Kyle Christy	Brownburg (Ind.)	6-2	170

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Gators grant Kenny Kadji his release

Basketball center Kenny Kadji asked Florida for his release and it was given, coach Billy Donovan said in a press release.

Kadji, a sophomore, played only eight games last year before having back surgery. He received a medical red-shirt for that season.

“Kenny has made a decision that it’s in his best interest to start new somewhere else,” Donovan said in a statement. “He’s still recovering from back surgery and working hard to get himself healthy. I wish him the best in his future.”

Kadji said he is appreciative of his time with the Gators, thanking his coaches and teammates.

He played 42 games at Florida and averaged 3.7 points and 2.3 rebounds per game.

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Dwyer DE Curt Maggitt open to all schools, but gives Florida slight edge

Palm Beach County’s No. 1 recruit will be in Gainesville today for Florida’s Friday Night Lights camp, and the Gators have a great chance to get him back there next summer.

Defensive end Curt Maggitt (6-4, 210, 4.6) said he has not determined any of his official campus visits yet, but Florida currently is in the lead to sign him.

“I like them,” he said today. “It’s a great school. I’m not really looking into it too much right now, but I like the Gators.

“The Gators have an advantage a little bit because I’ve been there so many times and I know the coaches so well.”

He also knows current Florida freshmen Matt Elam, Gerald Christian and Robert Clark. All three were teammates with Maggitt on last year’s state championship team.

While he slightly favors the Gators at this point, Maggitt insisted he is open to every school that has offered him. It’s a long list, including Alabama, Miami and Florida State.

Dwyer coach Jack Daniels, a former Gator walk-on defensive back, predicted last month Maggitt will end up at Florida.

He is on track to graduate high school one semester early and plans to enroll in college in January, making him eligible for spring practices. Elam, Christian and Clark did that this past spring.

Maggitt said he will not make a college decision prior to the upcoming high school season. He appears to have learned something from Elam’s tumultuous recruitment (committed to Florida, then said he preferred West Virginia while making other visits, then re-committed to Florida, then committed to Florida State, then waffled for a week before ultimately enrolling at Florida).

“I saw what Matt was doing and that’s what I’m trying to avoid,” Maggitt said. “I don’t want to commit early and then change my mind. I just want to pick one school that’s best for me.”

Maggitt is still recovering from surgery to repair a torn left labrum that he suffered last fall. He said it is at “about 90-95 percent now” and plans to fully participate in one-on-one drills at today’s camp.

Maggitt has two other highly touted teammates at Dwyer, but Florida seems unlikely to land either of them. Tight end Nick O’Leary, possibly the nation’s No. 1 player at his position, has yet to express any legitimate interest in the Gators and Florida has not offered top-tier quarterback Jacoby Brissett. Florida currently has a verbal commitment from Oviedo-Hagerty senior Jeff Driskel.

O’Leary is expected at Friday Night Lights, too, but that probably does not indicate anything significant.

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Often-wrong SEC media picks Alabama over Florida for title

Before you read the results of the SEC pre-season media poll, know this: the poll has picked the correct champion only four times in 18 tries.

That said, the SEC polled 177 media members attending this year’s SEC Football Media Days in Hoover, Ala. and the results are below.

Of note: 1. Somebody picked Vanderbilt to win the East, 2. Another voter had Kentucky winning the whole thing, 3. A dozen writers didn’t vote for Heisman winner Mark Ingram on the first team.

Ingram had the best shot at a unanimous selection and led all players by receiving 165 votes.

Here is the media’s predicted order of finish and all-SEC team (First-place votes in parenthesis, max. is 177):

Eastern Division
1. Florida (153)
2. Georgia (15)
3. South Carolina
4. Kentucky
5. Tennessee
6. Vanderbilt (1)

Western Division
1. Alabama (157)
2. Arkansas (6)
3. Auburn (10)
4. LSU (1)
5. Mississippi St.
6. Ole Miss (3)

SEC Champion: Alabama (143), Florida (17), Auburn (7), Arkansas (3), Ole Miss (2), Georgia (2), LSU (1), South Carolina (1), Kentucky (1).

MEDIA PRE-SEASON ALL-SEC TEAM

First team
Offense
QB — Ryan Mallett (118), Arkansas, junior, Texarkana, Ark.
RB — Mark Ingram (165), Alabama, junior, Flint, Mich.
RB — Trent Richardson (69), Alabama, sophomore, Pensacola
WR — A.J. Green (142), Georgia, junior, Summerville, S.C.
WR — Julio Jones (123), Alabama, junior, Foley, Ala.
TE — D.J. Williams (105), Arkansas, senior, Little Rock, Ark.
OL — Lee Ziemba (114), Auburn, senior, Rogers, Ark.
OL — Barrett Jones (103), Alabama, sophomore, Memphis
OL — Clint Boling (85), Georgia, senior, Alpharetta, Ga.
OL — James Carpenter (77), Alabama, senior, Augusta, Ga.
C — Mike Pouncey (109), Florida, senior, Lakeland

Defense
DL — Marcell Dareus (126), Alabama, junior, Birmingham, Ala.
DL — Jerrell Powe (77), Ole Miss, senior, Waynesboro, Miss.
DL — Cliff Matthews (46), South Carolina, senior, Cheraw, S.C.
LB — Dont’a Hightower (158), Alabama, sophomore, Lewisburg, Tenn.
LB — Kelvin Sheppard (84), LSU, senior, Stone Mountain, Ga.
LB — Josh Bynes (72), Auburn, senior, Lauderdale Lakes
LB — Brandon Hicks (65), Florida, senior, Jacksonville
DB — Mark Barron (127), Alabama, junior, Mobile, Ala.
DB — Patrick Peterson (116), LSU, junior, Pompano Beach
DB — Ahmad Black (67), Florida, senior, Lakeland
DB — Stephon Gilmore (61), South Carolina, sophomore, Rock Hill, S.C.

Special teams
PK — Blair Walsh (72), Georgia, junior, Boca Raton
P — Drew Butler (104), Georgia, junior, Duluth, Ga.
RS — Derrick Locke (45), Kentucky, senior, Hugo, Okla.
AP — Randall Cobb (123), Kentucky, junior, Alcoa, Tenn.

Second team
Offense
QB — Greg McElroy (44), Alabama, senior, Southland, Texas
RB — Derrick Locke (40), Kentucky, senior, Hugo, Okla.
RB — Mario Fannin (22), Auburn, senior, Hampton, Ga.
WR — Darvin Adams (19), Auburn, junior, Kennesaw, Ga.
WR — Randall Cobb (14), Kentucky, junior, Alcoa, Tenn.
TE — Luke Stocker (26), Tennessee, senior, Berea, Ky.
OL — Carl Johnson (53), Florida, senior, Durham, N.C.
OL — Marcus Gilbert (48), Florida, senior, Fort Lauderdale
OL — Derek Sherrod (47), Mississippi State, senior, Columbus, Miss.
OL — DeMarcus Love (27), Arkansas, senior, Lancaster, Texas
C — William Vlachos (27), Alabama, junior, Mountain Brook, Ala.

Defense
DL — Pernell McPhee (34), Mississippi State, senior, Pahokee
DL — Justin Trattou (31), Florida, Senior, Ramsey, N.J.
DL — Kentrell Lockett (29), Ole Miss, senior, Hahnville, La.
LB — Chris Marve (62), Vanderbilt, junior, Memphis
LB — Nick Reveiz (32), Tennessee, senior, Farragut, Tenn.
LB — Courtney Upshaw (31), Alabama, junior, Eufala, Ala.
LB — Justin Houston (30), Georgia, junior, Statesboro, Ga.
DB — Janoris Jenkins (56), Florida, junior, Pahokee
DB — Will Hill (41), Florida, junior, West Orange, N.J.
DB — Brandon Boykin (39), Georgia, junior, Fayetteville, Ga.
DB — Zac Etheridge (33), Auburn, senior, Troy, Ala.

Special teams
PK — Wes Byrum (65), Auburn, senior, Fort Lauderdale
P — Chas Henry (34), Florida, junior, Dallas, Ga.
RS — (tie) Julio Jones (42), Alabama, junior, Foley, Ala. -AND- Warren Norman (42), Vanderbilt, sophomore, Stone Mountain, Ga.
AP — Chris Rainey (35), Florida, junior, Lakeland

Most first-team selections: Alabama 8, Georgia 4, Florida 3.

Most total selections: Alabama 12, Florida 10.

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Comedian/coach Robbie Caldwell talks turkey insemination

Please let this guy keep his job.

In a week filled with ill-timed, ill-delivered jokes that elicited zero laughs, Robbie Caldwell was hilarious. Caldwell, the 56-year-old interim coach at Vanderbilt, was unstoppable once he stepped to the podium at SEC Football Media Days.

He opened by saying, in a very anti-Ron Burgundy tone, “Not very many people know me.”

It works better live or on TV, but we’ll see if it translates to print. Here are the highlights:

Q: What was it like growing up in Pageland, S.C.?

Caldwell: “You had to like watermelon, No. 1, because it was the watermelon capital of the world — we proclaimed it anyway. You had to like hunting and fishing, frog gigging. I was scared to death of girls, so that didn’t interest me. And I played ball. We played all sports to get out of work. That was the policy.

“My first hourly paying job was on the turkey farm. I don’t know if I could tell you what my job was… (pause) I was on the inseminating crew. That’s a fact. I worked my way to the top. Best job I ever had — got paid by the hour for the first time. That was about ’68, ’69. That’s what we did every afternoon.”

Q: Are you ready for the spotlight of being a head coach and dealing with the media?

Caldwell: “Well, I’m from New York originally, you can tell by the way I talk.”

Q: Did that job on the turkey farm make it hard to enjoy Thanksgiving?

Caldwell: (Steps away from podium and opens jacket to display his gut) No, it hasn’t. You can tell by looking at me.

“I done it all, too. If I told some of these ladies what they put in that lipstick right there, oh my goodness — because I de-beaked, blood tested, vaccinated. I done it all. It was pretty special.”

Q: You ever feel guilty at Thanksgiving?

Caldwell: “No, not really, ‘cause of some of the headaches I went through out there. It’s amazing. A wild turkey is one of the smartest animals in the world, but a domestic turkey is the dumbest thing. We had to put sprinklers out there to keep them from smothering each other in the summer when it gets hot. If you don’t believe it, research it.”

Q: What did you do on the insemination crew?

Caldwell: “It fertilizes the egg so they produce a better turkey in the hatchery. It’s an interesting process. I’d be glad to show you sometime.

“I probably shouldn’t be saying that in front of y’all, but hey, it was a great job. I really appreciated ‘em giving me that. I think the worst part of it was gathering dead turkeys that had been out for a while. That was something.”

Q: Did you experience a major cultural adjustment when you arrived at Vanderbilt in Nashville?

Caldwell: “I think it was a big adjustment for Vanderbult with my culture. I tried to them a little flavor.”

Q: Have you heard from any other SEC coaches since you got the job?

Caldwell: “No, not a one. No offense to them, but they don’t know me. They will.”

Q: Do you guys feel like you have nothing to lose this year?

Caldwell: “That’s kind of the way I look at it. Think about it: Here I am — I go from lining the field to I’m a head coach in the SEC. What a thrill.

“I can still walk in places and nobody knows me. Last night I was opening the door for people and they gave me a tip. I thought, ‘Hey, that’s great.’”

Q: How much was the tip?

Caldwell: “Oh man, I got a dollar and a half. I gave it back to him.”

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