This Saturday, the Gators and the Alabama Crimson Tide will continue their rivalry when the Gators host Alabama at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Fla.

Last year, Alabama hosted Florida in Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. and defeated Florida to a crushing score of 31-6. This year, the tables have turned in this rivalry and the game will be played in Gainesville. As many SEC opponents know, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is one of the most difficult venues to play in for any team. This Saturday, it will be one of the few challenges No. 3 Alabama must overcome to defeat one of the SEC's surprise teams.

It isn't too often the words "Florida Gators" and "surprise teams" are placed in the same sentence. However, with last year's disappointing record of 8-5, quarterback problems, turnover issues and an identity crisis on offense, the Florida Gators have struggled to make strides toward relevance. This year, the Gators have been pleasant to watch.

John Brantley seems to be more comfortable as the starting quarterback and has completed 64 percent of his passes, while throwing four touchdowns and two interceptions. Florida is also ranked 10th in the nation in rushing offense, rushing for more than 250 yards per game. Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps have spearheaded the Gator offense with a combined 731 rushing yards, 284 receiving yards and eight touchdowns total.

Gone is the Gator offense of last year, which utilized the spread option under former coach Urban Meyer. The new pro-style offense implemented by Will Muschamp and Charlie Weis has been more effective this year, and the Gators have scored on 16 straight red-zone trips. What is even more impressive is the fact UF has scored in 15 of 16 quarters this season.

As of Week 5, Florida boasts the 15th-ranked offense in the NCAA at 40.25 points per game. They are also doing much better on the other side of the ball as well, boasting the 20th-ranked pass defense in the NCAA at 175.25 passing yards per game. Perhaps the best stat for the Florida Gator defense is the fact their defense is allowing fewer than nine points per game.

However, Florida will face their toughest challenge this season when they face the Crimson Tide, who are ranked second in overall defense. As of Week 5, Alabama is only allowing a total of 184 yards per game.

On the other side of the ball is AJ McCarron, who has been more than suitable in the Crimson Tide's "game manager position" with a 66 percent completion percentage, four touchdowns and two interceptions. Alabama also hosts the two-pronged rushing attack of Trent Richardson and Eddy Lacey, who have run over opposing defenses for a total of 806 rushing yards and 12 total touchdowns.

Needless to say, this should be the Gators biggest test yet. This is becoming a heated rivalry, with both of these teams ranked in the Top 15 and two schools who essentially mirror each other in skill set and statistics. This game also has SEC Title implications and very possibly National Championship implications.

If you're in Gainesville for the game, you will certainly see a bunch of crimson shirts and feaux "Bear" Bryant hats, as Alabama fans are known for traveling to the ends of the earth for their school.

Will Alabama "Roll" out of The Swamp, victory in hand? Or will they just become "Gator Bait" to a Florida team hungry for revenge and on the brink of greatness?

Was it football?

No.

Was Tim Tebow involved?

No.

Do I care?

No.

Did Florida just lay one of the most lopsided beatdowns of the season on Alabama?

Hell yes.

The first half was a replay of the Jacksonville game. 0 for 10 three point shooting, 6-14 free throw shooting, numerous missed opportunities, etc. I was worried that maybe Alabama's desperation would win the game for them.

But never count out a group of seniors playing their final game in the O Dome.

The seniors- Parsons, Tyus and Macklin- definitely provided some fuel for Boynton and Walker, who each drained a bunch of threes. Parsons first hit a few, and Boynton and Walker followed up with some of their own. Even on a rare second half miss, Patric Young was right there to reset the offense, which resulted in another three.

Basically, whatever Billy Donovan said at halftime worked wonders.

This was the sweetest win in any sport Florida has had since they beat Oklahoma for the 2008 BCS Championship. Georgia in 2010 and FSU and Cincinnati in 2009 come close, but they can't top it.

Why?

Aside from, you know, ending a few years' worth of torment at the hands of the Bammers, now whenever they start an argument, we have something to point at and silence them?

Yeah, well, there's also the incredible story of the senior Adam Allen.

For three years now, Allen has been plagued with knee injuries. He had planned to request a fifth year of eligibility, but after three operations, decided that he couldn't do it. He decided to quit basketball. But he also decided to stick with the Gators while attending school at UF.

So what better way to end the night than by allowing Adam Allen to come onto the floor to huge ovations to dribble out the clock?

Not really any.

Alabama now has a huge game against Georgia in what could very well turn out to be a play-in game to the NCAA tourney, but who really cares?

Well, I do, but only because it'll be fun to watch the loser of that game cry.

Now, we have no pressure against Vanderbilt at all. We can win, or lose, nobody will care because we've already secured at least a part of the SEC Championship.

What a night.

The Tide just got rolled.

Hey, Bulldog fan!!! Florida Gator fan here. You may remember us as your former rival.

It's true. Really, it is. You guy used to win sometimes, actually you used to win a lot more than us- during wartime years, against JUCO schools that happened to call themselves the Gators back in the first decade of the 1900's, and just generally before we decided to take football seriously.

Ever since then, since 1990, when we hired Steve Spurrier, you guys have been on the tail end of a few big time whoopings, big time embarrassments, and big time upsets.

What was it like to lose to Spurrier by scores like 47-7, 52-14 and 52-17? What was it like to get half a hundred hung between the hedges on you? What was it like to have the nation's best team heading into Jacksonville only to fall flat on your faces against that bumbling moron Ron Zook? What was it like falling flat AGAIN the very next year to the SAME idiot with ANOTHER terrible Gators team?

Better yet, what was it like to eat some humble pie the past three years?

You think you're so slick, don't you, calling for that Dunce Dunce Revolution in 2007? You think you're so funny!!! Moonwalking, Gator Chomping, grinding each other like the incestual freaks that you are- yes, yes, yes, very nice.

Now it's our turn.

Touchdown Florida, touchdown Florida, touchdown Florida, touchdown Florida, touchdown Florida, touchdown Florida, touchdown Florida.

Then...

Timeout Florida, timeout Florida.

49-10.

Let's resume- touchdown Florida, touchdown Florida, Tim Tebow breaks your collective boyfriend Herschel Walker's TD record with ANOTHER touchdown Florida, touchdown Florida, touchdown Florida.

41-17.

Then in 2010, your classy defensive coordinator, who by the way is a genius schemer, yells at our kicker that, "you're gonna f*ckin choke!!!" Isn't that such a sweet gesture on Todd Grantham's part? Never mind that his unstoppable 3-4 scheme that had been talked up for months was torched for over 400 yards by an offense led by Steve Addazio.

Chas Henry made the kick, blew a kiss to Grantham, made the universal gesture for "suck it" and did the Gator Chomp at the Georgia fans.

You guys deserved it and a lot more.

You're our little brother, face the facts. This rivalry looks like a tequila sunrise- with the orange on top and the red on the bottom. You are constantly beaten and owned like a two dollar prostitute. In fact, why don't you just save the casual fan some time and label your forehead "Florida's bitch?"

Wait, I know why you won't- because you're everybody's bitch. You lost to Colorado. That was embarrassing. Well, at least you beat that pathetic team from Central Florida. That would have been really hilarious had you lost to UCF in the Liberty Bowl...

Oh, wait...

You did.

So now Gator fans let's all point at our pathetic rival up north and laugh at them HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA and wake up in the morning and thank god you're not one of them.

Really, now, you bring in a "Dream Team" of recruits. But is it just me, or does anybody else remember Georgia fans claiming that Matt Stafford would lead them to a BCS Title? Granted, he came close once, but Tim Tebow also came close once- and won 2 others.

And I don't want to hear that Tebow wasn't a part of the 2006 Championship- he threw for and ran for a touchdown in the BCS Championship game, singlehandedly beat LSU, sealed the game against Tennessee with a 4th down conversion, and averaged over a touchdown per game the whole season.

What about Noshow Moreno? I thought he was your savior. Turns out he hated UGA so much that he left after his SOPHOMORE year. And no, he wasn't THAT good- where was he in the Florida game in 2008? Why didn't he save your pathetic and utterly defeated team? He's not just any old player, he's a god, right? Gods don't have bad days and can do anything they want whenever they please.

Funny, but I didn't hear too much of that after that game.

And if AJ Green was so great, why did Joe Haden and Janoris Jenkins combine to shut him down for a paltry 11 catches in 3 games? It's paltry because he's SOOOOOOOOOOOO awesome, right?

Best of all, though, how about Georgia fans talking up Willie Martinez being an idiot and Todd Grantham being the fix for everything? Remember the point totals Florida hung on the sad Dawgs throughout 2007-09? Yeah, well, Dawg fans blamed it all on Martinez. Never mind that Florida's point totals for those three years was an average of nearly 19 points HIGHER than the season average allowed.

No, it's all Martinez's fault. The way you guys blame Addazio, right? No, Urban Cryer is fully in charge of that program and he's just an absolute moron and doesn't know what he's doing.

Translation.

We suck and we're not accustomed to getting our faces buried in the dirt by you guys every year and we think that by blaming our DC for everything we'll solve all our problems.

So, anyway, Grantham comes into his first Florida game. Now, let's talk about the Gators. The Florida Gators were abysmal, as they had been all season. However, Steve Addazio's offense put up over FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY YARDS- NO OTHER BCS TEAM NOT NAMED KENTUCKY HAD EVER SURRENDERED THAT MANY NOR HAD ANYBODY EVEN COME CLOSE.

Yes, that is correct, the same Addazio led offense that scored a net of negative one points against Alabama, hung a whopping 26 yards through three quarters against a midmajor in Miami Ohio broke the 450 yard mark against your pathetic Dawgs. Only by a few feet- but WOW.

Your defense is so weak, Todd Grantham should hire security guards to protect them. The Munchkins or maybe even the Oompa Loompas would put up a few hundred on you guys. If you guys had gone with the blackout again I would have pushed one of you guys with one hand, mistaking you for a revolving door, because, well, SORRY, but that's what you guys look like, especially in black.

All right, guys, seriously, you come up with excuses for everything- your drunk driving AD, your embarrassing losses to midmajors, your big time recruits flopping in the Cocktail Party, or just in general.

But the problem is, you guys are so experienced and have been doing it for so long, that you know exactly what to say and everybody believes you because you're so convincing. Luckily, I'm not that susceptible to that sort of BS. I know how to shut you up- just ask you how many timeouts Florida has left.

I also know how to stop a Georgia fan from having solitary pleasure.

I'd just paint his crotch orange and blue- you'll only beat it three times in 21 years.

Now isn't just so sweet to see that score at the bottom of the screen?

The Gators let South Carolina know that the first game was a fluke. Florida has done that this year, as I'm sure you guys all know, after a big win.

Tonight, however, they hammered a team that seems to have their number on their home floor.

Chandler Parsons played absolutely fantastic, which is the next thing I'll touch on.

Florida's only real weakness- aside from free throws- is that they are a solid team with all good players- but no real clear cut leader, no dominating name that scares the hell out of anybody on the schedule.

But lately, Chandler Parsons has stepped into that role perfectly. He has provided the leadership, he has provided the clutch free throws (usually) and he has even provided the opposing team with Gator Chomps.

Seriously, Parsons may be that guy that the Gators lean on as they continue to peak, continue to rise in the rankings and continue to look more and more like the 04's- Noah, Brewer, Green and Horford.

At least in the win-loss column.

The other big thing that I really needed to see before I believed the Gators had begun to peak is the ability to crush inferior opponents like a grape.

They struggled mightily against Georgia, Auburn and Morehead State, and lost to Central Florida, Jacksonville, South Carolina, Mississippi State and Ohio State (that I can live with).

Come on, Florida is better than each and every one of those teams minus the Buckeyes (and I still believe the Gators can beat them in a one game season, which the what the NCAA tournament is- a bunch of seasons consisting of just one game).

The standings show it. By the way, winning your division is almost a guaranteed ticket to the NCAA tournament (the exception was last year when Mississippi State won the West and were denied.

Tonight was Parsons' coming out party (one assist shy of a triple double, which would have been the first since Nick Calathes did it two years ago), and I believe this is the sign Florida fans need to see in order to truly believe that we can make a legitimate run in- if not win- the NCAA tournament.

Remember- it's all a bunch of one game seasons.

Now we get the Vols next, in the O-Dome, and if Florida wins that one, they can book their ticket to the NCAA tournament- 20 is usually the magic number.

I give up. I waited a full month and then I couldn't take it anymore.

I simply can't go that long without making fun of him.

And according to some recent comments and emails, you guys can't either.

For those of you who think I'm beating a dead horse, I understand, I even agreed at first. But as time wore on, and events came and went, it's now official: Florida football is in a period of dead time until spring practice.

And so what else is there to touch on, aside from a season preview (coming soon, in a few weeks) regarding football?

The other reason I have for doing this is simple. Addazio caused Gator fans great anguish for a few months, and no amount of ripping on him can change that as funny as some of the stuff might be.

So what I'll be doing every once in awhile is simple: I will post letters from Addazio to Gator fans from time to time.

So here's the first one.

Dear Gator Nation,

Hello again!!! Yes, it's me, Steve Addazio, and I have a confession. I miss being in Gainesville. The players all listened to me and loved me.

Here at Temple, however, it's been slow going.

The first order of business here in Philly has been to install the dive play. But it's been going for 50 yards at least on every rush!!! It's supposed to lose three if it works and gain one if it fails. Anything more than a yard gain and I blow a fuse.

So I took the entire team to a local indoor swimming pool. The middle school team was practicing there, and when the girls had a diving competition against each other, I told my offense to watch closely. They were great, I might add. Then, one pretty 8th grader slipped on some water on the diving board and fell, cracking her head open.

She started crying, and I told my running backs that was exactly what's supposed to happen if you execute the dive play correctly- there's nowhere to go but down, and you should be crying in frustration or pain because there's a big injury risk. Especially if it's somebody who's really underweight, like the girl that busted her head.

So that was a huge failure, but like you guys know I've always said- if it fails once, keep doing it until it fails even more.

So the next day, I took them to the Delaware River. It was iced over, and I had lugged a big ship towards the shore. I told my running backs to stand behind the line that I had carved into the ice and then try to push against the ship. But they all fell through the ice first and I had to have my QB lift them out, because, if you'll remember at Florida, offensive linemen always avoided making blocks, and the QB got hit more than you would have ever thought. I think that is an excellent idea, and I have brought it with me to Temple.

Because of that, the QB has to be stronger and heavier than my linemen, so it was a perfect weight lifting excercise.

Then I made one more effort to make it work. I decided to try to simulate a game day effort as much as I could, but I didn't know how. I thought for a couple of hours, and then snapped my fingers- I would try to simulate what it would feel like for Jeff Demps to take on Brian Urlacher, Junior Seau and Michael Strahan all at once in an Oklahoma drill***.

So I took my running backs out to downtown Philly. I had them each walk up to a skyscraper with a football- and then charge it.

Much to my dismay, two of them broke their noses (oh, damn, I forgot the helmets) a third bounced off a pedestrian and the fourth one tripped on the sidewalk.

But there was a lot of praise waiting for the fourth guy.

"Congratulations!!! That was EXCELLENT!!! I loved how you just fell down and the play would have ended right there!!!"

But the third guy wasn't so lucky: "Why did you bounce off that tackle??? WHY WHY WHY!?!?!?! Don't you know that you're supposed to go down on contact????? You'll owe me some laps for that!!!"

Anyway, the dive play is now officially a staple of the Owls offense.

I have, however, learned something. I know Ryan begs to differ, but I have learned something. I have learned to be more inconsistent and unpredictable with my play-calls. I know I always called dives, I'm so sorry about that. But I've learned from it. Really, I have.

Now, I'll just call it on a key third down and 43, to keep the defense honest. In other words, I'll just call it when my offense needs a three and out or when I feel that the punter is a freeloader and got a free ride to Temple. I may just have him punt whenever I feel like, to make sure he knows that he EARNED his scholarship to Temple.

So, you might ask, what plays will I call on every other play?

Don't worry, I've got a huge arsenal of plays.

In fact, I've just created a new one. It's called "A-Gap Left Invasion". What happens here is that my center, right guard and right tackle all pull-block as far to the right as they can, and the left tackle and left guard pull block as far left as they can, leaving a hole bigger than the Grand Canyon through the left side A-Gap- which is where the QB will sneak it. A bruising linebacker will invade the A-Gap crush him, invading the huge A-Gap.

Clever, huh? Just like the dive play, except with the QB.

Aside from A-Gap Left Invasion, I've also got A-Gap Right Invasion. Here is how that play works. The center pull blocks right... what? You know? Oh, sorry, I didn't think you Florida fans understood basic football concepts. If you watch some of my old interviews, you might be able to see that I thought all of you were fools by the way I dismissively avoided concepts such as blitz pickups, which by the way RYAN WERE PERFECTLY FINE. I DON'T CARE WHAT HERM EDWARDS OR ANYBODY ELSE ON THAT IDIOT NETWORK ESPN SAID, I'M THE OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR AND I SAID THEY ARE FINE SO THAT MEANS THEY ARE FINE SO SHUT UP.

Defensive coordinators didn't complain about my schemes, so why are you?

Anyway, that's all for now. I'm off on a recruiting trip to a 4th grade girls' soccer game, so I can look for a fast little sucker that can't take a hit.

What? Are you crazy??? No, I'm not going to give a 4th grade girl a scholarship!!! Are you kidding me??? I'm going to wait AT LEAST until the girl is in sixth grade, maybe seventh. When she's in 8th grade, I'll pop the question like this: do you pledge your undying loyalty to Temple football and the dive play?

Excellent!!! You're our new QB!!!

I would sign off properly here, but I forgot everything Urban Meyer taught me about how to be a real man, including how to accept blame. I actually forgot what that is.

So, uhhhhh... peace out yall.

What happens when you put the best team from the Big East on the same football field as the second best from the SEC?

This.

Many people are calling Brian Kelly a jerk for ditching Cincinnati just before the Sugar Bowl. I disagree. He was either a coward or a genius, as he knew exactly what was coming and didn't want to be held responsible.

And he was right. The Gators opened up a 37-3 lead early in the 3rd quarter and then stopped trying.

What happens when you put a Big East team in the national championship game in basketball?

Gee, I forget, nobody from the Big East has made it to the title game since 2004.

That's right, despite all the hype, the multitude of ranked teams, and the recruits, nobody from the Big East has reached the national championship game since Syracuse got there in 2004.

And the Big Least has 16 teams in b-ball, to everybody else's 12 or less.

A common argument from Big Least fans is that "we beat each other up during conference games so much because everybody is so awesome that we're all tired come March Madness."

Take that argument elsewhere.

The SEC is by far the best conference in football, and has produced the last 5 National Champions. Don't those teams get tired and appear dead to the world in the BCS Title Game?

But this is a Gators blog, so this is ultimately going to tie into our football and basketball teams.

Football first.

The Big East is a disgrace to college football. Everybody knows that. UConn fans won't admit it, but they're probably thankful they only lost 48-20 to Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, and the same with Cincy fans about the Sugar Bowl to Florida. TCU made a huge mistake going there.

But what is it that those teams lack? Why exactly do they suck and blow enough to cause tornadoes (QUICK EVERYBODY LIVING IN A BIG LEAST CITY RUN)?

No enthusiasm from the fans is a big one. Aside from USF's Raymond James Stadium, where the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers play, pretty much every stadium could fit inside a glove. Cincy had to rent out the Paul Brown Stadium JUST to play Oklahoma.

We SEC fans laugh at these maximum capacity numbers:

Cincinnati: 35,097

Connecticut: 39,995

Louisville: 42,012

Pittsburgh: 65,050 (NFL's Steelers home field)

Rutgers: 52,454

Syracuse: 49,262

South Florida: 66,321 (NFL's Buccaneers home field)

West Virginia: 59,986

Now, let's compare those to the SEC stadiums:

Alabama: 101,821

Arkansas: 76,000

Auburn: 87,451

Florida: 88,541

Georgia: 92,746

Kentucky: 67,606

LSU: 92,400

Mississippi State: 55,082

Ole Miss: 60,850

South Carolina: 80,250

Tennessee: 102,37

Vanderbilt: 40,410

Now, what I want you to do, is compare the stadiums above. The left is an SEC stadium, the right a Big East stadium. Which look bigger? Is it even close?

Clearly, more people want to watch games in the SEC. And just as clearly, it has a negative effect on opponents.

But fans don't get to coach the games.

However, the fans are drawn by the same characteristic that coaches in the SEC just have to have: enthusiasm.

I'm not saying coaches should all be psycho, like Nick Saban. But every coach has to yell at his players at some point, every coach has to give pre-game, halftime and other pep talks. That was one of the more cryptic reasons Addazio sucked; he had zero emotion.

Will Muschamp, however....

Yes, you have read this before. Ryan mentioned this following Auburn beating Oregon for the BCS Championship. Will Muschamp is definitely crazy.

That's won Saban a couple BCS Championships.

But Ryan just mentioned it regarding BCS Championship Games. This post gives you guys a shot to have a laugh at the real "Little Sisters of the Poor"'s expense while showing you that it wasn't just a coincidence, the same is true in multiple examples.

Bottom line: emotion has been proven multiple times to lead to success.

Now, onto basketball.

The Big Least has a habit of choking in the Big Dance, and just in general. Last year, I nearly collapsed from laughter as Ohio, one of the worst teams in the tournament, crushed Georgetown 97-83.

Then, Syracuse got knocked down by non-AQ, Cindarella candidate Butler, 63-59.

What is this? Do we have a choke parade? Yes, we do.

And we will probably have it again this year.

Moral: The Big East is full of chokers.

Now look back at Florida's conference games that went into OT.

The Gators gritted their teeth, ground through it, and won all three against decent teams: #24 Vanderbilt at home, at Georgia and at Tennessee.

See where I'm headed?

To sum this entire post up: the main faults of the Big East are not present in the Gators.

The Gators' football coach is full of emotion, while the Big Least stadiums are either shared with NFL teams or below 60,000, meaning the fans don't care.

The Gators' basketball team pulls through in big games despite bad foul shooting, while the Big Least chokes in big games.

The Gators are a legitimate team in both sports, while the Big Least is full of chokers.

I pose a legitimate question to all of you: Who Does Maurice Jones Drew Think He Is?

For those of you who don't know, Maurice Jones Drew took a shot at Urban Meyer, saying "Hey I think the Urban Meyer rule is in effect right now... when the going gets tough... QUIT" (referring to Jay Cutler leaving the NFC Championship Game).

Meyer's daughter, Gigi, responded but I don't think what she said was strong enough. I'm not sure she had an hour of free time before a party like I do now.

So I think I'll respond on the behalf of all three of Meyer's kids, Meyer's wife, Urban Meyer himself and all of Gator Nation.

I'll be honest. Jones Drew doesn't suck, like I wanted to claim. It would have made this a lot easier.

But he's nothing special, either.

So who the hell is he to take a shot at Urban Meyer? The man who took a program from the rubble that Mr. Zook left it in and won 2 BCS Championships in 6 years and nearly got a third?

I know Meyer has taken his share of criticism. He's been called Urban Cryer, Urban Leyer, he's been accused of allowing thugs to play for UF, not disciplining kids... it goes on and on and on.

Back off, haters. You're just that- jealous people who only hate on Meyer because of the success he had.

No way, Neil. No we hate Meyer because he's a bum.

Funny, but I don't recall Ron Zook being hated by opponents, and he had 12 arrests in two seasons.

Anybody want to guess why very few people know that?

Because Zook was a bumbling moron and was only slightly more effective at calling plays than Steve Addazio.

You only hate Meyer because he's a successful man.

I understand that Georgia, FSU, Miami, LSU and Tennessee fans have nothing better to do than to whine and cry about Meyer pounding on their teams.

But I expect more from an NFL running back.

One question for Drew: do you enjoy pissing off your hometown fans? Because, like it or not, many Jaguar fans happen to be Gator fans. Sure, there are some Noles in Jacksonville, but there are plenty of Gators fans, too. Plus, the Swamp is filled with 91,000 for every game, and your Jaguars get blacked out almost every week.

Or are you that desperate to move back to LA? You could simply ask Wayne Weaver to do that without asking for trouble from Gator fans.

Is that where you learned to be a news magnet?

Not to mention a hypocrite?

Sorry to break it to you, but the going has never gotten tough for you. The one time you actually won a playoff game you were holding your arm and crying throughout. MRI's showed that not only was there no break, there was nothing even resembling a hairline fracture. Did you know that Tim Tebow played the 2008 Capital One Bowl with a broken arm?

You're lucky his bowl game was before your waterworks show, or I would be saying that "Hey I think Tim Tebow just ignored the Maurice Jones Drew rule that says... when your arm is broken... QUIT (and CRY)"

And then after your loss to the Patriots in the divisional round the next week, you cried again.

So when Tim Tebow was in tears after the loss in the 2009 SEC Championship, I should have said "Hey I think the Maurice Jones Drew rule is in effect... after a heartbreaking loss... CRY!!!"

But no, I don't have to go out of my way to take a cheap shot at somebody completely uninvolved to make myself feel better when I'm mulling over the fact that my team's season is over because they weren't that good.

I'm 16 years old and I know that.

You're a grown man (or are you) and you don't.

Maybe you should move to LA. You've just turned away half of your fan base. You're an embarrassment to the state of Florida.

The way you're headed, you'll never either make enough money to buy or win half of the rings that Urban Meyer has earned himself.

Maybe Urban Meyer had geniune reasons to walk away. Maybe he has enough character to have fun with his family, unlike you. When he's bored or lonely, he can look at his hand and smile. That's provided that he doesn't blind himself from all the jewelry.

You, on the other hand, have no jewelry. Not between your legs, not on your hand, not in your house.

You've got nothing.

Except a big mouth.

And believe me, it would be better for you if you didn't have that either.

Flash back to 1989. Georgia had just beaten Florida 17-10, and the players all mocked Florida's fans with the Gator Chomp.

Florida has won 18 out of the last 21.

Then go to 1997. Sebastian Janikowski nailed a big field goal to give FSU some breathing room, and did a huge, exaggerated Chomp to the Florida Field crowd.

Florida drove down the field and won the game three plays later.

Now on to 2007. Wes Byrum of Auburn nailed a huge game winner in the Swamp, and chomped the crowd.

It's up to the 2011 Gators to avenge that.

But how?

Auburn has lost Cam Newton and Nick Fairley, but they still have plenty of weapons.

They have wide receiver Emory Blake, a great leaper with good enough hands who will be depended on for fade routes in big time situations.

They have Ontario McCaleb, a speed demon who has broken at least one run of 20 yards or more in all but three games this year.

They have Quan Bray, an incoming freshman who can play numerous positions with a verbal but solid committment to Auburn.

It's the QB position that may cause Gene Chizik problems.

Barrett Trotter, who will be a junior, is my best guess to land the starting spot, because he was going to be handed the keys to the Tiger offense before Newton came into the picture. He is a very athletic QB with a snap quick release and the ability to take off and buy some time. He can throw on the run if need be, but he is closer to a dop back passer than a spread QB.

Kiehl Frazier is more like Cameron Newton, familiar with a spread option game, but he's going to be a freshman next year and has not seen big stages before at Shiloh High School. Although he is a running QB, he isn't nearly as accurate on the run.

That's exactly what the Gators have to plan to do- make the QB run.

They cannot allow Trotter- or Frazier- to get comfortable, settle in, and pick the Gator apart. They need to knock him down, let him know that he's being targeted all the time.

Who better to do that than Will Muschamp?

The Gators have plenty of speed on defense, and if you've ever played for Charlie Strong, you're able to put some big hits on QB's on command.

So expect the Gators to blitz early in the down count to set the tone, and disrupt the entire offense.

Now, onto the offensive side. They've got speed, they've got playmakers, the only thing they don't have is... a dependable QB.

I think if all Gator fans had to bet their last dollar on who starts at QB against FAU, the answer is going to be John Brantley.

Let's get one thing straight. I know that Steve Addazio's offense was horrible, and the QB he used was just as bad. Or you could flip that, and look at it vice versa.

Whatever you want.

The point is that I'm not a fan of Brantley any more than most of you and I promise you guys that I have very limited patience for him. If my patience goes, then I call for Jeff Driskel.

That's a promise. I'll give Brantley one game to see if he can at least light up a bottom feeder.

Assuming Brantley makes it to the Auburn game as the starter, then that means he will have seen six defenses, played reasonably well at Death Valley in the Bayou (one week before the trip to Auburn) and that he won't likely buckle under the pressure and the lights of Jordan Hare.

But even if it's Driskel, Charlie Weis will figure something out. He's too good of an offensive mind not to.

Bottom line?

Defense plays light out and offense does its job.

Florida 34 Auburn 23

OK, we all know who we lost to last year, and we all know who our rivals are.

But these ten teams have done something to insult Gator foorball in some way. Although some people have forgotten, I haven't and I'm sure some other Gator fans haven't either.

Florida doesn't play all of them next year, but when they do, they need to lay a beatdown on them.

As the 2011 team takes shape, and I know who's won starting jobs, who tore his ACL and will miss the season, etc., I will preview each of these games from a football standpoint.

So here goes, ranging from (10) least necessary to (1) desperately needs a whooping.

10) Florida Atlantic

Next Meeting: 2011 @Gainesville

What? FAU??? They're harmless!!! What have they done? Well, nothing on their own, but their coach, Howard Schnellenberger, once ran it up on Florida when he was coaching Miami (the south Florida version) because the Gator fans pelted his team with oranges. Why did they throw oranges? Schnellenberger flipped off the crowd and did the Gator Chomp. What better way to begin the Will Muschamp era with a blowout win?

9) Miami(FL)

Next Meeting: 2013 @Miami

The battle for Sunshine State Supremacy will be in the Orange Bowl (or wherever the Canes play) in 2013. Let's see if Will Muschamp can embarrass one of the few nearby teams that he doesn't have some kind of relationship with. Jeff Driskel will be a junior then and he'll hopefully have a great grip on Charlie Weis's new offense. Plus, it's essential for recruiting. And, you know, they're a rival who has embarrassed UF in the past (see Schnellenberger).

8) Alabama

Next Meeting: 2011 @Gainesville

The Gators have an awful taste still in their mouths from the past two times they've played the Crimson Tide and they want a shot at revenge. They'll get their chance in the Swamp with a rare rebuilding Bama team that has lost 19 of its 22 starters from the 2009 BCS Championship team. This game should be called the "Talent-Developing Bowl" for obvious reasons- which coaching staff does more with its players?

7) Ohio State

Next Meeting: ???

Who knows when (or if) these two scools will meet again. One thing I know is that the Buckeyes suddenly think they own the SEC because they beat an error-prone Arkansas team in the Sugar Bowl. I'm sick and tired of them running their mouths about how they would have actually tried had they known that Florida was actually decent. I hope Jeremy Foley quits being a ({}) and schedules them, anytime, anywhere. Let's see how good they really are.

6) FSU

Next Meeting: 2011 @Gainesville

Jimbo Fisher and Will Muschamp co-own a beach house. Maybe the two of them should have a deal where the winner of the UF-FSU game wins the beach house for the next year. Whatever they do, Muschamp does not strike me as the type of guy that will put more value into friendships than into winning. His name is Coach Boom, right? They disrespected the Gators last year by cutting the head off a toy Gator right for the world to see (newsflash, that was UF's idea by chomping the head off a toy Indian and carrying it around). But they have to come to the Swamp this year. Ooooooooh. This should be good.

5)Auburn

Next Meeting: 2011 @Auburn

Even if Newton doesn't return, this is still the resurrection of an old rivalry game that needs to be taken seriously. Wes Byrum, who is also gone, beat Florida with a walk-off field goal in 2007 and mocked the Gator crowd with, of course, the Chomp. Plus, they handed Florida their only defeat in 2006. It's up the 2011 version of Gator football to avenge that. Let's see if Will Muschamp can do what Urban Meyer never did- beat Auburn.

4)Georgia

Next Meeting: 2011 @Jacksonville, FL

Muschamp went there. We know that. We hate them. We know that too. So why do we owe them an especially good lickin? Because we always do, and also because Todd Grantham thought he was funny by telling Chas Henry that "you're gonna f*ckin choke!!!". In fact, I'm still not sure we're even for the 2007 Dunce Dunce Revolution the Bulldogs staged. A quick way for Muschamp to get on the Gators fans' good side: put your relationship with UGA down and crush them!!!

3)Southern Cal

Next Meeting: ???

Like Ohio State, this matchup may not happen again for an eternity. But Lane Kiffin still has yet to receive the "welcome to head coaching in college football" beatdown that he asked for the day that he was announced as head coach. Florida can't draw them in a bowl game unless it's a BCS game, which could happen, but not likely. It's not even a possibility until 2012, when USC's bowl ban is lifted. I want to trounce Lane Kiffin so badly, but I think this is going to be an itch that can't be scratched. It's all wishful thinking. Sorry.

2)South Carolina

Next Meeting: 2011, @Columbia

The Gamecocks mercifully put an end to the Gators SEC Championship season, which was just as well. I couldn't have watched Steve Addazio "lead" the "Offense" against Auburn. Can you imagine what would have happened? That doesn't mean we've forgiven our old buddy Steve Spurrier. In fact, now we want to destroy his team. It's in Columbia, which makes it a little bit harder, but it's definitely doable.

1)Ole Miss

Next Meeting: 2012 @Oxford

Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Bet you guys thought this day would never come, huh? The rematch with the team that ruined Florida's perfect season in 2008. I don't know about you guys, but I've carried a personal grudge against Ole Miss ever since that game (and I actually like them). Here's Florida's shot to hand them the beatdown that they were good enough to administer to the Rebels three years ago.

As I said, once I get a feel for what the teams look like, I will go into detail with strategy for each game (except for USC and Ohio State).

From a way too early look, I think that Florida has a shot to win every game on here.

Again, that could change, but we've got awhile.

Revenge, guys. Revenge is a dish best served cold.

And it's almost here....

It was a different building hosting the game in Knoxville, Tennessee.

The game was played on hardwood, not grass.

The coaches wore suits and ties, not windbreaker jackets with the team logo in front.

The ball was orange, and round.

There was a totally different game being played.

The results were still the same.

Florida defeated Tennessee 81-75 in overtime, to deal an early but major blow to Tennessee's NCAA tourney chances while helping out their own case big time. With the win, Florida already has an impressive NCAA resume: road wins at Florida State, Xavier, Tennessee and a neutral site win over 6th ranked Kansas State. Their only really bad loss was to Jacksonville.

We all know that Florida owns Tennessee in football and baseball.

Recently, however, it's been Tennessee who's been beating up on Florida in b-ball. They first started their run by beating the Gators right before they peaked to win the National Championship in 2007. Then it just snowballed from there: a season sweep in 07-08, followed by another one in 08-09.

Last year, Florida led the majority the game in Knoxville. But Tennessee fought back and Alex Tyus missed a 6 footer at the buzzer, and Florida lost 62-61- and the Volunteer band mocked Tyus with the Gator Chomp. But everyone knew that Florida was back. The Gators proved it by crushing the Vols in the rematch in the O-Dome that year.

Then, there's this year.

Bruce Pearl could do nothing about it as Florida built up an 8 point lead in the second half. But the Vols came back to eventually force OT behind strong performances by Cameron Tatum and Tobias Harris.

Not enough. The Gators controlled the ball for the first full minute of the OT, and even though they didn't score, the Vols were beaten both physically and in the game.

Tyus redeemed himself by making a steal and a layup that turned out to be the killshot, and something went off inside him.

Not only did he return the favor to the Vols band, he also stomped on the little "T" near the sideline, then did the same to the other "T" that stood for the Lady Vols.

Billy Donovan didn't look too happy, but whatever.

I certainly was.

In retrospect, though, this win isn't anything major aside from it being an SEC road win.

Since beating top 5 teams Pittsburgh and Villanova, the Vols have done an excellent job screwing themselves. They've lost to Oakland, Charlotte, College of Charleston, and Southern Cal, who is not exactly a national powerhouse. The other loss came to a decent but unproven Arkansas team on the road.

So we won on Rocky Flop, which is excellent. We've broken the curse that somehow has been on top of us for the past few years.

We're also in excellent position for a 10 SEC win season- which almost guarantees an NCAA bid, as long as it's teamed with a decent nonconference schedule/record and at least one win in the SEC tournament.

So here's Tennessee's fight song, Florida's version (if you don't know the tune, learn it here- it's easy!!!):

Glad I'm not on good ole Rocky Flop, where everything goes downhill.

There's nothing you could do but sit and watch as we proposed our will.

Oh Rocky Flop, you're Gatorbait once again, and you're probably feeling ill!!!

Oh Rocky Flop, you'll always be,

SECOND IN THE EAST!!!

Good ole Rocky Flop

Oh Rocky Flop

Oh Rocky Flop, you'll always be,

SECOND IN THE EAST!!!

How DOES

IT

FEEL

TO BE FLORIDA'S MEAL AGAIN

CHOMP CHOMP