GOOD NEWS: Considering everything that has been happening inside and outside of the world of sports. we could use some. So here’s some:
OUR SPIES TELL us that Urban Meyer is bouncing back strong, has gained weight and is on a regular workout routine. He reportedly told wife Shelley “if I’d have known I’d feel this good I’d have done it a long time ago.”
Regarding the support of his staff during his recently health crisis, Urban admitted he is a “blessed man” and expressed gratitude to staffers like Steve Addazio, Chuck Heater and Mickey Marotti – among others – for their support.
Addazio’s stock has been on the rise and that’s both good and bad news. Depending on Meyer’s health, he could wind up being head coach somewhere – either at Florida or another school – after next season. Meanwhile, technically, it’s his team for the moment.
Urban sounds like he’s back on track and if so, at this rate, could be back in the spring.
BALL COACH SUMMIT: According to an account in a national magazine and website – unconfirmed by either of those involved as of yet – Meyer had a talk last summer with Steve Spurrier over dinner about coaching longevity. I always remember hearing Spurrier say he wouldn’t coach past 50, but as he told Urban that night, “I never imagined coaching in my 60s.”
All Spurrier likes to do outside football is play golf (he also works out on the stationary bike). Since he can’t play golf every day, what would he do? “Travel?” Nah.
Meyer reportedly began to rethink the idea of stepping aside before age 50 and decided he’d think long term. He felt he had made the necessary adjustments to de-stress in his job.
Then came the health scare with his heart.
So many football coaches are losing the game with stress and problems with the ticker are fairly common.
Former Gator reserve quarterback and long snapper, Chan Gailey, just named new coach of the Buffalo Bills, had a heart attack in 2005 as coach at Georgia Tech, but finished the season.
Also true for basketball coaches. Jim Calhoun is on medical leave—probably sick of seeing his Connecticut Huskies play so poorly. Ba-doom!
QUICK JUMP STARTS
1. Water-skiing fanatic Ron Zook is building a house at nearby Lake Weir, just southeast of Ocala, which should be ready in time for him to hit the water this spring.
2. Normally I don’t pass judgment on recruits until they show up wearing the Orange and Blue, but after watching video of USC-bound Dillon Baxter I can see why Florida coaches were drooling over the idea of him playing at the tailback/quarterback position.
3. I don’t even know where to start on the tragic news about Steve Babik, so I won’t.
4. Love the nickname for five-star California commit and U.S. Army All-American Bowl MVP, Ronald “Boom Boom” Pow-ell.
5. Billy Donovan is giddy about 2010-11 commit Patric Young of Jacksonville Paxon, who has grown over an inch and, at 6-10, 230 pounds, looks like he’s headed for McDonald’s All-American status.
SHORT STUFF
When Chan Gailey played at Florida, he would slip on an overshirt with a center’s number and do the long-snapping. … Alabama is odds-on betting favorite to make the next BCS finals against Ohio State, followed by Oregon, Boise State, Nebraska, TCU, Virginia Tech – then a three-some of Florida, Oklahoma and LSU. … The NFL is mum on whether Tim Tebow will be one of the 10 players brought to New York City for the draft, which pretty much tells me he’s a lead-pipe cinch first-rounder. … Chris Low of ESPN picked the 2009 Alabama squad as his Team of the Decade, but there were three Gator teams in the Top 10 – 2. Florida 2008; 5. Florida 2006; 9. Florida 2001. … Three-fourths of the American Football Coaches Association say they want to keep the BCS system the way it is and I agree – except maybe add that Plus-One game. … These malicious rumormongers out there who fabricate negative recruiting stories like the one about Urban Meyer “using God” to recruit five-star offensive tackle Sharif Floyd to Florida by saying he “had a dream” about seeing himself coaching the big lineman from Philadelphia – a story denied by Floyd and his coach—never seem to amaze me.
AND GOOD MORNING … Vol Nation. A Knoxville attorney wants to name part of the local sewage/waste water facility after Lane Kiffin, but I’m wondering why not the local garbage dump?