Signed copies Urban's Way, to be released in September by St. Martin's Press of New York City, will be avaiable soon. For more info on how to get your book autographed by Buddy, watch this space or go to gatorcountry.com.
Buddy Martin has gotten to know Urban Meyer as very few will ever know him. Behind the scenes and in the locker rooms, Buddy has spent time with Urban, the Florida coaching staff and players, past and present, to gather the stories and information to write the authorized biography of the Florida football coach that will hit bookstores in the fall.
It takes a real pro to write a book about a coach like Meyer, who in seven short years has risen to the top of the college football coaching profession. Meyer has resurrected football programs at Bowling Green and Utah, and in three years at Florida, he’s delivered 31 wins including a magical 13-1 season in 2006 that produced the Gators’ second national championship. Meyer is a complicated man, driven to win, but driven harder to turn his players into winners in the most important game of all --- the game of life.
In the next few days, Buddy will also be sharing with us some of the things that didn’t go in the final version of the book, which will be published by St. Martin’s Press/Thomas Dunne Books and released in September. This is a Gator Country exclusive, so sit back, relax and enjoy.
And just think, if the excerpts that didn’t make it in the book are this good, just think how good the book is going to be.
--- Franz Beard
The other day I came out of my hole and saw my shadow, which means we have at least eight more months of football. Unlike Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog, or Rip Van Winkle, the narcoleptic, however, I have not been asleep.
I have been living with Urban.
Well, sort of.
More like living with “Urban’s Way.”
That’s the name of the new authorized biography on Florida’s football coach which I recently completed after three years of research, one season of working inside the program and 100 straight days of writing.
The 300 pages of “Urban’s Way” are divided into three sections and, in fact, make up what turned out to be like three books.
1. Urban, the early years. 2. Urban as an assistant, then a head coach at Bowing Green and Utah. 3. Urban as a Gator – the SEC title and national championship. After two years covering Urban Meyer and his Gators, I was invited inside the program for a season behind closed doors with the team in 2007.
I didn’t know quite what to expect, but this was a dream assignment for anybody who loves college football and, of course, anybody who has followed Gator football most of his life.
The only caveat was that I could not write or talk about anything I saw and heard except in the forthcoming book – basically rescinding my rights as a journalist on such matters. I gladly did it, because the chance to experience the inner workings of a major college football program like Florida’s was one that has rarely been afforded a writer.
Those experiences included everything from running through the tunnel on Florida Field with the team for the Tennessee game, observing coaches meetings, listening on the headsets to the coaches’ dialogue during several games, having a team meal on Friday night and riding on the bus on the way to the “Gator Walk.”
All during the season I never really talked to Meyer, but did interview each of his assistant coaches and quite a few members of his support staff. And I even had retired Florida Highway Patrol Major Malcolm Jowers, who has escorted every Gator coach since Charley Pell on and off the field, as my personal guide.
Meanwhile, I was speaking to players at Bowling Green, Utah and Florida about Urban. What I found most remarkable about that is that each of them, without knowing what the other had said, pretty much had the same thought, which was:
If you knuckle down and do the work he requires of you in football, academics and social responsibilities, you will not only succeed in the game, but also in life. And later when you are out in the free world, you will begin to understand why he preached the importance of a good family life and good conduct.
Already, several people have asked me the same questions about Meyer, which were:
1) What did you find out about Urban Meyer that you didn’t know before you started?
2) Did your perception of him change and, if so, how?
The answer to both may sound contrived or corny, but the truth is that Urban is a far more spiritual person that I realized. And the second part of that is that he is equally committed – if not more – to turning around the lives of some players than he is in trying to win.
That was revealed at the end of the ’07 season, when Urban granted me part of two days for long interviews at his lake home, during which he told me numerous stories of his boyhood and early coaching career, gave me a clinic on “The Spread” and then expressed the deep abiding affection he has for former players like Dallas Baker, Ray McDonald, Brandon Siler, Vernell Brown, Jemalle Cornelius, etc.
If this reads like a cheap plug for “Urban’s Way” (it is) which will be published this summer by St. Martin’s Press/Thomas Dunne Books, don’t blame me. Blame it on GatorCountry.com Managing Editor Franz Beard, who insisted I write this column.
Given that I had to take leave of my duties from GatorCountry.com as a columnist in recent weeks, it’s the least I could do in return from Franz and Ray Hines III.
Since I do have this shot, however let me just go ahead with a full-blown commercial: If you want to know about Urban Meyer and the Florida Gator football team, run, don’t walk, to your nearest book store or go online and pre-order your copies. You can also watch GatorCountry.com for more ways to get your copy – possibly even autographed.
Meanwhile, excuse me while I re-introduce myself to my wife, my dog and the guy in the mirror. I loved doing “Urban’s Way.” But now it’s time for a little bit of “Buddy’s Way.”
Buddy Martin Sunday Best Column/The Spread March 9, 2008 Something old in the new offenses An old football coach told me a long time ago that there really isn’t anything new in the game, that everything is just recycled after 50 years. That football proverb seems truer every year. Auburn, after finishing 104th in passing last season, got rid of its offensive coordinator, Al Borges, before the Chick-fil-A Bowl and replaced him with Tony Franklin from Troy. What the Tigers wanted most of all was for Franklin to bring his playbook and videotapes of The Spread offense. He did and, after installing just eight plays, Auburn beat Clemson, 23-20. Michigan’s Rich Rodriguez, among the first to run it at West Virginia, is taking it to his new job at Michigan – so expect to see it run more frequently in the Big Ten. He and Urban Meyer were among the first to adopt The Spread – Meyer having installed it at Bowling Green and then Utah. When Meyer brought the formation to Florida in 2005, no other SEC team used it. Since then, Kentucky, Tennessee, Auburn and Vanderbilt switched over. LSU runs components of it, mixed in with the I formation. So what’s so magical about The Spread? Basically, it’s designed to put speedy athletes in space and get the ball to them through either handing off the football or passing it to them. What makes it “old school” is that The Spread also has the elements of the old Single Wing in it, run out of a Single Wing-like formation. The difference is that the one of the halfbacks and the wingback are split out with the receivers. And that’s not new, either. Horned Frog coaches Matty Bell and Dutch Meyer first ran The Spread at TCU in 1936. They had a couple of quarterbacks named Davey O’Brien and Sammy Baugh. Offensive schemes are like double-breasted or skinny ties: Hang them in the back of the closet, and before long they’ll be back in style again. Quick Jump Starts 1. I make the over/under on the number of times ESPN uses the term “on the bubble” at 25 times a day during the next two weeks. 2. In answer to several people who have asked, Brett Favre is not in my top six all-time NFL quarterbacks, but he’s my No. 1 for joie de vivre, because nobody had more fun. 3. My top six list would be, in no particular order: Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw, Johnny Unitas, John Elway and (tie) Bart Starr and Joe Namath. (Waiting in the wings, Tom Brady.) 4. Gotta love the way Florida is spicing up its Orange and Blue spring game this season with the “Fastest Gator” 40-yard dash competition, including a match race with the fastest person from the student body – all because ESPN Game Day will be on hand. 5. It helps when you beat the guy making more than you: Georgia’s Mark Richt was raised to $2.8 million after his Bulldogs beat (among others) Florida’s Urban Meyer, who makes $3 million. Short Stuff Seen at the ballyard: Charlie Weis and his son were in attendance at Legends Field in Tampa to see the Rays beat the Yankees Saturday … Bucs punter Josh Bidwell has a book out called “When It’s Fourth and One” about the experience of surviving testicular cancer and how his Christian faith helped him deal with it … According to the Orlando Sentinel, the University of Central Florida is doing an engineering study to determined whether the so-called “synchronized jumping” will shorten the lifespan of its new 45,000-seat Bright House Networks Stadium – honest! Nothing But ‘Net (With a little help from Buddy’s cyberfriends Buddy’s E-mail Bag Dear Mr. Martin: I want you to know I was offended and disappointed by your No. 2 “blurb” on Bobby Knight in the Sunday paper. Are you aware of all the support that he gives to reading programs? The chair incident is old news, why do you have to keep bringing it up? I'm a native Hoosier and my youngest graduated from IU while he was still coaching there. Did you see Coach K give credit for his success as a basketball coach to Bobby Knight after he got his 800th win with tears in his eyes? I have enjoyed you articles, especially on Sunday, since moving to Port Charlotte in 2002. Please forget the “chair incident” forever! Thank you, Judie McGlinchey, Port Charlotte JUDIE, JUDIE, JUDIE!Because you are so nice, I promise to drop the chair references on Bob Knight. But do I have to like him, too? Buddy: Arnie had Jack, Hogan had Snead. The main question has been, who will be a rival for Tiger? Finally a dominant golfer has emerged. Last week this golfer won by double digit strokes, a Tiger-like performance. The only problem was this great golfer is a woman, Lorena Ochoa. She bested No. 2 Annika by more than 10 strokes, in what one writer said, “Annika was playing for the B flight.” Until Tiger gets a rival, it will be Tiger against the field. In the last year Tiger and Lorena are so far ahead of the field, it isn't any fun! Phil Banks, Bonita Springs PHIL: You forget that Jack also had Billy Casper, Lee Trevino and Tom Watson, just as Tiger will have had Phil Mickelson, etc. But you a correct: Tiger, right now, is without peer. Clipboard Fly the funny skies Favorite announcements on airplanes: A flight attendant's comment on a less than perfect landing: “We ask you to please remain seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal.” After a particularly rough landing during thunder storms in Memphis, a flight attendant on a Northwest flight announced, “Please take care when opening the overhead compartments because, after a landing like that, sure as hell everything has shifted.” On a Continental Flight with a very “senior” flight attendant crew, the pilot said, "Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for your comfort and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants.” Bumper sticker, T-Shirt or Sign 1.If your ship hasn't come in, swim out to it. 2. That’s not a haircut – it’s a cry for help!
3. Peope who think they know it all really anoy those of us who really do.
Bonus: Old Age Bumper stickers (Courtesy of David Baird, via pmcaregivers.com) 1. Birthdays are good for you: The more you have the longer you live. 2. I’m not old, I’m chronologically gifted. 3. The only problem with retirement is that you never get a day off.
4. I was brought up to respect my elders; now I don’t respect anybody anymore. 5. At my age, everything comes with a lifetime guarantee.
Todays' s Proverb For every action, there is an equal and opposite government program.
Today’s Joke A dog is truly a man's best friend. If you don't believe it, just try this experiment. Put your dog and your wife in the trunk of the car for an hour. When you open the trunk, who is really happy to see you! And good morning ...All you hoop junkies. Ladies and gentlemen, start your bracketology.
Buddy Martin Sunday Best Column/Gator Hoops March 1, 2008
Where have you gone, ‘Gator Boyz’?
GAINESVILLE – Memo to SEC teams who beat Florida: Don’t confuse the “Baby Gators” as being the “Gator Boyz.”
Enough of this “we beat the defending national champions” talk already. Billy Donovan’s “Baby Gators” are no more that than George Bush Sr. is still president of the United States.
Donovan understands why players say after winning in the O-Dome that they felt good beating “the defending national champions” on their home court, as did Mississippi State Saturday. And he understands why coach Rick Stansbury would use that as a motivational tool when his 19-8 Bulldogs took the floor.
Naturally, players like Jarvis Varnado would chirp about after beating Florida, 68-59 for their 10th win.
But hold on, said Donovan.
“If they really want to play the defending national champions,” said Donovan, “the let’s go get (Al) Horford, (Joakim) Noah, (Corey) Brewer and (Taurean) Green. And then see what happens.”
Please, don’t confuse Nick Calathes, Walter Hodge, Marreese Speights, Dan Werner and Jai Lucas as being the “Gator Boyz.” The real defending champions were on the 2005-2006 team that stayed in school another year to win it back-to-back.
They are young, talented and committed, but these “Baby Gators” are fighting for their lives just to make it to the NCAA tournament this year – let alone win it.
“I just hope we can get into a stance to defend something,” said Donovan, who knows full well his team is on the bubble with regular season games to go against Tennessee and Kentucky, plus the SEC tournament.
The best bet is that Florida will need to win both of its final games, or at least split them and win one round in the SEC to make it back to The Dance.
Funny how the goal posts for success can be moved. Donovan recently notched his 21st win of the season, his 10th 20-win season and is bidding for this 10th straight NCAA appearance. Yet some will consider that unsuccessful if Florida doesn’t get past the first round of the SEC and make it back to the NCAA. And his “Baby Gator” roster is made up of seven freshmen and not a single senior.
They’re soft in the middle. They don’t rebound well. They take ill-advised shots. They turn the ball over. And they forget and try and run the big dogs when they shouldn’t.
Like Saturday, they kept taking the ball inside against the best shot-block team in America and they ate it seven times.
“We made the game about athleticism, length and physicality,” said Donovan. “And that’s definitely not what we’re about.”
Donovan isn’t mad at his young team or discouraged, just disappointed he can’t coach them to do the things they need to do. On the other hand, maybe this is all they’ve got in their tank at this young age.
“There’s a part of me that is surprised that these guys have won as many games as they have,” he said.
So don’t look for any banner to be hung in the O-Dome this year. On the other hand, don’t rule out the possibility of more being hung over the next few years. And without the help of Horford, Noah, Brewer and Green.
After all, someday these “Baby Gators” are going to grow up.
Quick Jump Starts
1. This just in: Nobody got caught cheting in sports today -- at least, nobody we know of yet.
2. Bobby Knight has gone to work as an ESPN basketball analyst and I think he ought to throw a chair out on center court in his debut.
3. Welcome to Ann Arbor, Rich Rodriguez: According to a poll in the Indianapolis Star, your Michigan team is picked to win the Big Ten.
4. Riddle me this: How could Rhodes Scholar Garrett Johnson make so many critical comments about his alma mater’s lack of institutional control in the FSU cheating scandal, have those comments read back to him on the phone by Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel and then say later his words were “misrepresented?”
5. Just in case something comes up in this column that you might not like, or that you feel is wrong, consider it was as misrepresented the way you read it.
Short Stuff
Sorry to hear that one of my favorite Yankees, Bobby Murcer, who was operated on for brain cancer in 2006, is undergoing further test to determine of his conditioned has worsened … Offensive guard James Wilson, a former teammate of Tim Tebow’s at Nease, has left the Gator football team and says he will transfer to a smaller school … think … I have no idea who will go No. 1 in the NFL draft – some say it will be Howie Long’s son Chris of Virginia – but if Mel Kiper Jr. says it’s Boston quarterback Matt Ryan, then it’s good enough for me.
Nothing But ‘Net (With a little help from Buddy’s cyberfriends Clipboard Happy Early Easter
Sunday, March 23 will mark the earliest Easter any of us will ever see the rest of our lives. And only the most elderly of our population have ever seen it this early (95 years old or above). And none of us have ever, or will ever, see it a day earlier.
The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the year 2228 (220 years from now). The last time it was this early was 1913 (so if you're 95 or older, you are the only ones that were around for that). The next time it will be a day earlier, March 22, will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now). The last time it was on March 22 was 1818. So, no one alive today has or will ever see it any earlier than this year.
Why English Teachers Retire Young (Actual analogies and metaphors found in high school essays)
1. He fell for her like his heart was a mob informant and she was the East River.
2. Shots rang out, as shots are wont to do
3. It hurt the way your tongue hurts after you accidentally staple it to the wall.
Bumper sticker, T-Shirt or Sign
1. I don't approve of political jokes. I've seen too many of them get elected.
2. Stable relationships are for horses.
3. Churches only worship the prophet margin.
Today's Proverb
The trouble with being punctual is that nobody's there to appreciate it.
Today's Joke
“Those are my principles. If you don't like them I have others.” – Groucho Marx.
And Good Morning
… And get well soon to 97-year-old John Wooden, possibly the greatest college coach in any sport, who has been hospitalized in Los Angles after breaking two bones on a fall at his home.
Buddy Martin Front Column/Capital One Bowl
Wolverines just wanted it more for Lloyd Carr
ORLANDO – Urban Meyer calls it “poison,” a term he learned from Florida coaching counterpart Billy Donovan after his Gator basketball team won its first national championship. Simply put, that means players who believe all their press clippings and indulge in self-adulation with those around them, breeding overconfidence.
So widely disrespected and discounted were Michigan Coach Lloyd Carr’s Wolverines that ESPN’s Lee Corso picked the Florida Gators to pound them into submission 41-14, Corso then also predicted that Florida would be ranked No. 1 in pre-season.
Like Corso himself would say: Not so fast, my friend.
The Gators must have been drinking the Kool Aid, because there was apparently some of that “poison” in the atmosphere surrounding Florida’s football team Tuesday when it played and lost to double-digit underdog Michigan, 41-35, in the Capital One Bowl. They got off the bus without their defense. Either somebody didn’t coach them how, or they forgot how, to pass protect.
When it came down to the end of the game, even though the quarterback deemed the best in the land was taking the snaps, Tim Tebow had so many people in his face that he threw four straight incompletions, turning the ball over on downs for the last Florida possession.
In the final game of his career, Carr finally got the respect for himself and his players that has been lacking and went out on his shield, making way for the new and improved spread offense run by successor Rich Rodriguez. His players wanted the victory more than Meyer’s did for Carr’s a going away present.
Ever heard of Chad Henne? The MVP of the game looked like the Heisman Trophy winner, passing for 373 yards and three touchdowns, pitching to a pair of wide receivers who owned Florida’s secondary. Adrian Arrington hauled in 2 touchdowns with 9 catches for 153 yards, including a circus, one-armed catch; and Mario Mannigham caught 5 for 78 and a score. Senior tailback Mike Hart rolled for 136 yards and 2 TDs.
And all of this was done with a new-look Michigan offense called…The Spread. Pre-Rich Rodriguez.
Turns out the Florida Gators lacked the motivation and proper preparation to deliver on the promise that Corso and others said was awaiting them in 2008.Though Meyer called it a “great college football game,” he said he was upset by the “glaring errors” and called out both his players and coaches for the poor pass coverage, as well as pass protection.
So as Meyer called it a day and Carr called it a career. Then the old Michigan coach said to the young Florida coach: “One day you’ll retire, and when you do, I hope your kids play as hard for you as mine did today.”
Dec. 12, 2007
For The Good Times
The booty is adding up. Legacies are mounting. In this remarkable run of dominating sports excellence, the University of Florida is enjoying success unprecedented by any athletic program, laying down footprints for a path that may never traveled again by a Gator Nation.
These are the good times.
Tim Tebow just picked up the school’s third Heisman over the weekend. It’s getting a little crowded in the trophy room, what with the ten SEC football and basketball titles and four combined national championships. And here’s the bad news: More good times are on the way.
Memo to Jeremy Foley: Build a bigger trophy room.
Titletown is still just like brand new --- and it’s not closed yet. And all of “The Gator Boys” haven’t left yet, just the first wave.
Older fans appreciate these delicious days. And you can’t blame those AARP football Gators for excessive gloating. Some 60 years ago Coach Bear Wolf's team was ending a 13-game losing streak in what was known as "The Golden Era." Never mind national championships, how about a break-even season? As recently as 1979 Charley Pell's team was 0-10-1.
Right now, under Urban Meyer, Gator football is at its pinnacle, showing no signs of a descent.
It’s not possibly to quantify the impact of Tebow’s Heisman yet, except to say in addition to him becoming The Poster Boy for college athletics, it is bound to have an immediate impact on Florida recruiting. The word on the recruiting trails is that Meyer is about to harvest a bountiful crop of future stars.
Saturday night at the Hard Rock Café, in the afterglow of The Tebow Show, Meyer was asked if he’d use it as bait for future prospects: “Oh yeah,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tebow is blowing up.Already, because of his boyish charm, winning smile, gentle off-the-field nature and genuine humility --- not to mention his immense football ability --- Tebow is being embraced as the ultimate ambassador for the game of college football. Is this too much pressure to put on one young athlete and can he last? No, and yes.
When asked how Tebow might have reacted had somebody else won the Heisman, Meyer said: “He could handle it.” The key to Tebow’s stability is his priorities as a person which equip him stay balanced and handle success and failure. He puts football No. 4 behind faith, family and academics.
I've watched all three of Florida's Heisman-Men play and, while I can't say all three of them are my friends, I have certainly spent considerable time in their presence. Steve Spurrier's guile as a play-caller and consistency as a clutch performer made him the premier player of his era. Danny Wuerffel's leadership role, poise, faith and passing ability were the hallmarks of his national championship era. Tim Tebow is still evolving as a player and a leader, but his raw talent, ferocity as a competitor and pure physical dominance could put him in the stratosphere beyond compare. Not to mention his unselfishness and adherence to his relgious conviction.
Tebow also has a star quality that could work for or against he and his team in the future. Because of his enormous popularity, there's bound to be a backlash. But not among his teammates, because Tebow and Meyer simply won't allow that to happen. You can count on one thing: Every time somebody brings up the Heisman next year, the two of then will emphasize over, and over, and over that it's a "team award." And Percy Harvin's name will come up a lot. In that sense it will work for the Florida Gators -- as well as becoming a powerful recruiting tool.
It's just tough to find a reason not to like Tim Tebow, even if he appears to be flawless.
In an era downtrodden sports stars --- Barry Bonds and Mike Vick being the chief miscreants --- Tebow comes through in the national limelight like a beacon of integrity. Mamas and daddies embrace him. Mothers want their daughters to marry him. College football gets to keep him around for two more years. And the promise of the 2008 season has Gator football coaches giddy. Perhaps two more trips to the Nokia Theater in Times Square are in Tebow’s future.
By the time Tebow graduates, he could be a regular in The Big Apple and in the Page Six gossip column of the New York Post. He might even have his own table at Elaine’s or a corner office with a window in the Trump Building, or perhaps have a Broadway play written about him.
All the folklore figure talk has been fun and the spirit of the Tebow mythology is priceless.
In final round of the Merrill Lynch Shark Shootout at Tiburon in Naples on Sunday, a couple of Gators came to the final tee, hit their shots, and promptly displayed their colors. Chris DiMarco and Camilo Villegas whipped out white No. 15 Tim Tebow jerseys in honor of the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner and finished play.
This is the proper way to cherish blessings and good fortune: Have fun with it. These kinds of riches don’t last forever.
Some people already want to talk about Tebow’s future to a point where they can’t enjoy his current success.
Less than 24 hours after the coronation of their quarterback as one of the 72 greatest college football players of all time, there were discussions on talk radio and message boards about what’s next for Tebow.
Will he play two more years? (yes).
Can he win two more Heismans? (Maybe, maybe not.)
Will he be able to quicken his release to make it in the NFL? (I believe so.)
Yada, yada, yada.
So far, the choices of this 20-year-old have been pretty good. And unless he gets hurt, Tim Tebow will become The Greatest Gator. He’s going to improve and, most importantly, is his the cast around him will, too, as the talent is stockpiled in Gainesville.
Urban Meyer could be about to carve his own likeness on the Gators’ football version of Mount Rushmore (Or Passmore, whichever he prefers).
Life as a Gator fan wasn’t always this good. Back when Bob Woodruff was coaching the post-war Gator football team, anything more than five wins was a stellar season. It wasn’t until 1952 that the Gators played post-season game, beating beat Tulsa in the Gator Bowl. OK, it was only Tulsa, but Gator fans celebrated it like it was an SEC title.
When you’re hungry, table scraps taste like fillet mignon.
It took a while to dig out, starting with Ray Graves in 1960. Steve Spurrier had to reach to bring the program respectability when he arrived as coach in 1990: Twice in the 1980s the UF was put on NCAA probation and may have been only a few breaths from “death penalty.” The Florida Gators have come back like Lazarus.
First Spurrier’s team crashing through with the school’s initial SEC title. Then he delivered Florida’s very for national championship in 1996. It was like Roger Bannister cracking the four-minute mile once Spurrier did it.
What followed was this period of riches. And if you really want to appreciate it even more, imagine yourself --- just for now --- as a fan of Notre Dame, Nebraska, Florida State or Miami.
For most of the decade from 1996 to through 2007, indeed, this has been a spectacular ride. I once thought it could never be any better than it was from April 1, 2006 to April 2, 2007: 366 days, three national titles and three SEC championships.
Now I’m not so sure the flow of blessings will end anytime soon --- even though the titles and trophies may not arrive in such bunches and no doubt will come in a more protracted time frame.
With Meyer and Billy Donovan, the best basketball-football coaching tandem in the business, anything is possible. Enjoy these good times, every step of the way, and make the memories for your grandchildren and great-grandchildren. History is being written.
Dominance in life, war, business and sport isn’t forever. Ask the Romans.
Buddy Martin column/Tim Tebow Wins Heisman 12-8-07 The legend of Timmy T. grows
NEW YORK – Tim Tebow didn’t leap tall buildings in Metropolis on Saturday, they bowed down at his feet as he jumped over the moon and picked his own star out of the Manhattan skyline.
The youngest player in college football history to win the Heisman Trophy hugged half of New York City before thanking everybody by name in the entire “Gator Nation” – twice.
First he thanked Jesus, then hugged his childhood hero and fellow Gator Heisman-Man Danny Wuerffel, then his competitors, his coach, his mom and dad, and even the guy handing him the trophy.
“The first person I hugged was Danny Wuerffel,” he said, “and that was special.”
What it took Wuerffel four years to accomplish, however, Tebow did in his sophomore season. And the legend just got a whole lot bigger for Tebow, who received nearly half the 925 first place votes and won every region except the Southwest.
On a chilly evening in mid-town Manhattan at the Nokia Theater on Times Square, Tebow completed the hat trick by winning the Heisman just two nights after he was awarded both the Maxwell Trophy as the nation’s most outstanding player and the Davey O’Brien Award for being the best quarterback.
With 96 percent of those eligible casting their votes – the largest turnout ever – Tebow beat Arkansas running back Darren McFadden by 245 points.
Wearing a light gray suit, blue shirt, silver tie and a big smile, Tebow accepted the trophy from Brian D. Obergfell of the Heisman Trophy Trust with his left hand, since a blue cast was still his right, which he broke with 28 minutes to play in the win over Florida State – but had kept on playing.
Then he led interference for Coach Urban Meyer and wife Shelley on the block-long walk through the teeming masses of Times Square to the press conference in Live Events Room at the Hard Rock Café – where else? On display in the room was such handiwork as the guitar of the Eagles’ Joe Walsh, a black tuxedo worn by Elvis Presley in a Frank Sinatra TV show and the cream-colored suit once worn by the late John Bonham, Led Zepplin drummer.
“We got wooshed behind Tim Tebow,” Meyer said of his encounter with the crowd on Broadway. “It was kinda neat.”
Since the South Carolina game, when he accounted for seven touchdowns, Tebow began to emerge as a frontrunner, a position solidified when Oregon quarterback Dennis Dixon was injured. And the pressure began to mount.
I asked Tebow if he felt somewhat relieved.
“You definitely do. There are so many nerves going through you – you’re just anxious and excited … and then you feel a little bit relieved.”
His coach said he got a queasy feeling in his stomach. “I got nervous about 15 seconds before – I got that fourth and one feeling in my gut, like on the 19-yard-line when I called a fake punt against Arkansas,” Meyer said.
Once again, however, Tim Tebow could not be stopped and the now legend looms over The Big Apple like a giant Macy’s Day parade balloon.
Never before has a college football player become so famous so rapidly. Faster than a speeding bullet, accounting for 51 touchdowns in just 12 games as a starter, the 20-year-old Florida Gator quarterback became the first sophomore in the nation and third quarterback at his school to win the Heisman, as well as the 73rd overall.
How happy was Urban Meyer? “He’s not my son,” Meyer said, looking over at Tebow, “but my son gets to go hang out with him.”
That legend that has spawned such Tebowisms as “Superman Wears Tim Tebow Pajamas” and “Tim Tebow ordered a Big Mac at Burger King, and got one.” Or, “The dark is afraid of Tim Tebow.” Or, “When Tim Tebow does a pushup, he doesn’t go down – the earth moves.” So now you can add these:
“Tim Tebow struck the Heisman pose at Grand Central Station and stopped three trains to Westchester dead in their tracks.”
“Tim Tebow grabbed Madison Square Garden by the throat so tight that he made it Madison Round Garden.”
And one more: “Tim Tebow was so good that he won three Heisman Trophies in one season.” Why? Because he wanted to give one to teammate Percy Harvin for next year.
Tebow has said over and over he plans to remain in school for the full four years, which means he could challenge, or surpass, Ohio State’s Archie Griffith as the only multiple winner.
So that means he can’t be president of the United States until 2012.
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Buddy Martin Sunday Best
Spurrier, Elvis sightings are common
Tim Tebow isn’t the only one breaking records these days.
Steve Spurrier has just tied Elvis Presley for most sightings in the first week of the post-season.
Spurrier was allegedly sighted at Duke the other day, then Baton Rouge, then CrescentBeach.
Reached by phone Friday and asked about all the rumors that he was being courted by LSU, Spurrier jested:
“I thought it was Duke!”
Then he explained he had been on a recruiting trip in North Carolina with a South Carolina assistant, just 20 miles from Durham. Word traveled fast – especially back to Columbia.
“My president told me if I wanted to go back to Duke, he’d release me,” Spurrier said kiddingly. Then he went on to say he was looking over the new facilities at his old school, showing them to his assistant. He also noted he would always have a special place in his heart for Blue Devil football.
“But I’ve already been a Duke man.”
What about LSU?
“They’ve got a coach,” Spurrier said, underscoring the fact that Les Miles hadn’t yet left for Michigan.
Maybe he knew something: In less than 24 hours, an angry Miles took the microphone before the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta and announced that he was staying at LSU.
Once Miles made that announcement, one of the major dominoes in the Coaching Carousel was left in play, because his departure was expected to create a big ripple in the profession.
That leaves Michigan to go another direction in replacing Lloyd Carr.
Meanwhile, the rumor mill grinds in doubletime. Spurrier’s name continues to pop up on message boards about the jobs at Georgia Tech, Arkansas and, possibly Auburn should Tommy Tuberville decide to bolt.
I don’t see Spurrier making another move at this point, mainly because almost his entirely family – one daughter and two sons – is entrenched in Columbia.
“We’ve got some issues around here,” Spurrier said, “and two of them are that we were last in the league in rushing and last in defense.”
So it appears the Ol’ Ball Coach, at age 62, is coming back for another round or two.
“I’ve got some really good players here, and I think Stephen Garcia (quarterback from Tampa) is going to be fun to coach.”
Doesn’t sound like a man whose getting ready to pack up and leave.
Hey, remember this guy named Tim Tebow?
A serious case of short memory loss appears to have set in on some of the national TV media regarding Tim Tebow’s legitimacy as the Heisman Trophy.
We all know that the Heisman race is the Flavor-of-the-Week contest and when a player is idle, like Tebow and Darren McFadden are this week, he generally gets overshadowed.
Because Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel played in the Big 12 Championship Game Saturday night, he drew the spotlight and, with an outstanding performance against Oklahoma and a Tigers win, could vault himself into serious contention. He seemed to be the TV guys’ darling this week.
Although I would have to favor Tebow at this point with McFadden a close second, I’m leaving my ballot open to evaluate Daniel’s performance. And I only hope Tebow being a sophomore cost him a chance at the nation’s highest award.
Here are a few stats for comparison:
--2007 Tebow touchdowns accounted for, 51; McFadden career touchdowns accounted for, 49.
--Passing vs. Top 25 teams, Tebow 9 vs. 4 teams; McFadden and Daniel combined, 9 vs. 9 teams
--Tebow had 22 TDs rushing this season and McFadden had 15 – and no other college quarterback in history has scored more on the ground (Chance Harridge of Air Force also scored 22).
While Tebow was pulling off two of his best plays of the year – the 23-yard rumble through almost half the FSU team and a perfect corner route toss to Louis Murphy for a score – the rest of the country was watching Tennessee and Kentucky go into overtime. So if Tebow falls about three votes shy of the Heisman, Gator fans can thank CBS for its part in cutting away from the Gators-Seminoles game.
Quick Jump Starts
1. Some people wondered why Bobby Bowden only got a one-year extension – when you’re 78 years old, long-term, contracts are not of utmost importance.
2. Count me as a fan of the new look and nickname of the Rays (and won’t they have to have a night when all people named Ray get in free?)
3. Say, did I miss that much ballyhooed comeback of Ricky Williams? (It was so short.)
4. Brett Favre is playing so great this year he makes me want to buy a pair of Wranglers.
5. Could it be that Michigan just wasn’t willing to pay Les Miles as much as LSU was?
Short Stuff
Lots of people (like Robby of Obees) are wondering why the Rays would want to build an outdoor stadium in St. Pete, unless they’re new to the area and haven’t heard about humidity and mosquitoes … No wonder Joe Paterno didn’t want his salary disclosed publicly – at $500,000, about 20 percent of the going rate for coaches of his stature, JoePa has been working for peanuts … I will not reveal that final ballot here because of confidentiality, except to say that I will most likely pick my Heisman threesome from these four players listed alphabetically: Chase Daniels of Missouri, Darren McFadden of Arkansas, Tim Tebow of Florida and Pat White of West Virginia.
Nothing But ‘Net
(with a little help from Buddy’s cyberfriends
Bumper sticker, T-Shirt or Sign
1. Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be.
2. Empty promises. Calculated betrayal. Sociopathic greed. Just another Monday.
3. Challenge authority. Just not now.
Today’s Proverb
You cannot tell which way the train went by looking at the track.
Today’s Joke
Money is the root of all evil. For more information, send me $10.
And good morning …
…To Alexander Francis Gregory, our new grandson born three weeks ago in California – I just wanted to see how his name would look in print as a byline.
Buddy Martin Sunday Best/ Florida-FSU Nov.24
Tebow won’t pose, but looks very ‘Heisman’
GAINESVILLE – As the curtain came down on “The Season That Might Have Been” for the Florida Gators, Tim Tebow took one more bow, front and center. The stage belonged to him.
The crowd was chanting, “Tebow…Heisman! Tebow…Heisman!” as the clock wound down on stellar his five-touchdown night which sealed the fourth straight victory over Florida State. It was a 45-12 domination of the once-proud Seminoles which Bobby Bowden called his “worst ever” beating.
Tebow scored the five touchdowns like he was on a mission. Linebacker Geno Hayes made the mistake of talking trash to No. 15 – “some things you wouldn’t want your mother to hear,” according to the Florida quarterback.
Hayes declared during the week, “Tim Tebow is going down …That’s our plan, go out there and shatter his dream for the Heisman.”
Payback was a brilliant 23-yard dash by Tebow, under one Florida State player, then through four more Seminoles at the 5-yard line. All that was missing was the Heisman mimic.
Senior Andre Caldwell actually tried to goad Tebow into striking that famed pose while the Gators were killing the clock, but Tebow declined. He didn’t need to pose, because he looked very much like the 73rd Heisman winner.
He did take a victory lap after the game, however, which is his customary way of saying thanks to “The Gator Nation.” This time he took a couple of seniors with him.
They should have rolled the season’s credits behind Tebow: 51 touchdowns, 29 of them passing and 22 rushing, in his first year as a starter in the Southeastern Conference.
With three touchdowns passes and two rushing, Tebow also tacked on 351 yards of total offense which pushed him to 3,960 for the season.
Staggering numbers – maybe enough for to make him the first sophomore to ever win college football’s highest individual honor, the Heisman Trophy.
Equally as impressive on the second TD was the looping corner route toss he laid on a dime to receiver Louis Murphy – right on the money, if you will – for a 32-yard score.
Was it enough to keep Tebow as the leader in the clubhouse for the Heisman Trophy to be awarded in two weeks? He needed a big game to match the exploits of Arkansas running back Darren McFadden after a big showing in the upset of LSU Friday – and he got it.
“If he doesn’t win the Heisman, it’s because of that sophomore thing,” Bowden predicted. “But he might win the next two.”
Urban Meyer didn’t choose to say much about the Heisman, but praised Tebow and said he was proud of the effort of his team. He said the 9-3 record was satisfactory, given some of the problems on and off the field earlier this year. “It was awful around here for three or four games,” said Meyer.
There will be no trip to Atlanta to compete for the SEC, no defense of the national championship – no titles, except perhaps that of College Football’s Best Player.
Urban Meyer did manage to win his 31st game in his third season at Florida and collect his 70th game as a head coach. The 9-3 finish put the Gators in contention for a Top Ten position, plus a January 1st bowl game. And with 49 underclassmen (freshmen and sophomores) this season, Meyer banking on 2008 as a year to compete for those titles again. And maybe with the 2007 Heisman winner as his starting quarterback.
Quick Jump Starts
1. Alabama coach Nick Saban compared losing to Mississippi state and Louisiana-Monroe to 9/11 and Pearl Harbor, but he apparently he forgot about World Wars I, aids and The Holocaust.
2. Out of curiosity, how do these pundits downgrade Tim Tebow for playing on a three-loss team, but have no problem with Darren McFadden’s team having lost four?
3. Here’s how my Heisman ballot would read if I voted today: Tim Tebow, Florida; 2. Darren McFadden, Arkansas; 3. And a player to be named after the Big 12 Championship.
4. See, winning these national championships isn’t so difficult for Billy Donovan, but beating FSU in basketball is yet another story.
5. Sounds weird to say it, but the new coach at Nebraska will be challenged by the task of getting the Cornhusker program up to the level of … Kansas and Missouri?
Short Stuff
It’s gotta be Sylvester Croom for SEC Coach of the Year, whose Mississippi Staters beat Ole Miss to go 7-5 and gain a bowl berth … Memo to Lee Corso and some of those others ESPN “experts:” When you steal stuff from newspapers and use it on the air, at least give credit … It was Senior Day at “The Swamp” as Urban Meyer said goodbye to 14 players, but only two rated a full bear hug from their head coach: Tony Joiner and Andre Caldwell … Before the game, Meyer gave back the captaincy stripe to Joiner he had taken away earlier this year for his brush with the law... Those seniors left with a 24-3 record at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
The Nutt Job Is it possible to beat the nation’s No. 1 team one week and lose your job the next? Well, yes, and that’s probably going to happen to Arkansas coach Houston Nutt, whose team lost four games this season. Ever since Frank Broyles retired as AD Nutt’s job has been in jeopardy. We might say he’s been Livin’ on Fayetteville Time.
Heisman Trophy Quiz
1. What was the hometown of the trophy’s namesake, John Heisman?
2. What school has won the most Heismans? 3. Who was the model for the bronze statue?
Nothing But ‘Net
(with a little help from Buddy’s cyberfriends
Bumper sticker, T-Shirt or Sign
The shortest sentence is “I am.” The longest is “I do.”
I’m busy. You’re ugly. Have a nice day.
If money is the root of all evil, why do all churches ask for it?
(Clipboard)
Things that don’t
last very long
A long time ago, a philosopher of sport told me there were two things that are short-lived: 1. Dogs that chase cars; 2. Professional golfers who have to make four-foot putts to save par.
And now we can add to that: Football coaches who push their luck and have to keep relying on fourth-down plays to win football games.
Les Miles’ luck finally ran out of fourth downs, with LSU losing in triple overtime to Arkansas after a failed two-point conversion.
ESPN’s Jim Donnan, a country music fan, called it “Livin’ On Tulsa Time.” Methinks it was more like “Livin’ on Borrowed Time.”
Heisman Quiz Answers
1. Cleveland, Ohio.
2. Notre Dame, Ohio State and Southern Cal with seven each.
3. Ed Smith of the now defunct New York University team (1934).
Notre Dame Jokes: Part II
Q: Why doesn't Fort Wayne have a Division 1 football team? A: Because then South Bend would want one.
Today’s Proverb
Old age is when former classmates are so gray and wrinkled and bald, they don't recognize you.
Today’s Joke
Teach a child to be polite and courteous in the home and, when he grows up,
he'll never be able to merge his car onto the freeway.
And good morning... …All you Tim Tebow fans. Looks like he did enough to win it.
Buddy Martin Thanksgiving Column
A different kind of 'Thanksgiving' This week marks maybe my favorite holiday of the year because it’s more about family and feast and less about commercial giving. We don’t have to shop for anything, except groceries. And we all come together to give thanks for all that we have. I took a look at the word “Thanksgiving” recently and saw another dimension. The words “Thanks” in this context implies the showing of prayerful gratitude toward God for His blessings and bountiful provisions, followed by a table groaning with delicious food. That’s certainly the appropriate way to embrace this holiday. Most of us will invoke that tradition on Thursday, feasting on sumptuous turkey and dressing, cranberry, pies, etc., topped off by a heavy serving of football. I’d like to add another twist to my Thanksgiving this year. I’d like to say “thanks” as in “thank you” to people to whom I am long overdue in showing my appreciation — people who have made a significant difference in my life. People like Tommy Herren, whose mom gave me his handme-down clothes, including his Cub Scouts uniform with leggings which allowed me to win the “Best Dressed Cub” at the Pot Luck Supper. Before that I had been embarrassed to be the only Cub wearing shorts. To people like Jimmy Stellogeannis, who took the time to teach me how to throw a football and baseball, opening up a whole new world of competitive sports. And to pull my cap down over my eyes and look sternly at the batter to let him know I wasn’t intimidated. To Jimmy Curry’s dad, Strick, who stopped by my house every morning in grade school to give me a ride in his green truck, even though he usually had to blow the horn twice because I was often late. And to Ed Monarchik's dad, John, who provided me transportation in the family's green-and-white Buick during the early high school years. To Don Cobb, who not only coached us in several sports, but chaperoned the Wednesday night dances at the auditorium and kept the youth center open late at nights for the after-hours doubles ping-pong death matches. To Prof. Hugh Cunningham, who taught me the deeper meaning of journalism as a calling and not as a job; whose encouraging words bolstered a bruised ego and raised a sagging confidence. To John Gipson, who rented us his duplex in Nashville and then stayed up late nights to await my arrival from work so that he could share his stories of faith. To Bernard Watts, who took a chance on a journalism student who had dropped out of school for a semester and gave him his first job, probably only because Watts was a former sports editor and remembered him from playing football. To Jim Head, who gave me a job and a column and the benefit of his wisdom about big time newspapering which he brought to the job from the bright lights of big cities. To the Miami Herald's Edwin Pope, whose brilliant writing inspired me at an early age to become a sports columnist and motivated me to try harder (still does). Those are just some of the people in my early years which, through random acts of kindness, enriched or enlarged my life through their generosity. There were many others to whom I am indebted, not the least of which are family members and close friends. It is a time like this, as we pause and reflect, that we come to realize it’s not so much a case of what we “earned” in our lives, or have the right to claim as a result of our intelligence or strong work ethic, as it is a case of people gifting us with opportunity. There should be plenty of thanks to go around for everybody Thursday.These are just a few of mine. So pass the turkey and dressing, cranberry and pie -- and then football -- and let's start emphasizing the "Thanks" in Thanksgiving.
Buddy Martin column Florida-FAU Nov.17 To celebrate or not – that was the question GAINESVILLE-- It was a bittersweet day for the Florida Gators, filled with triumphant moments of personal achievement, buffeted by a convincing team victory for the season’s eighth victory and, yet, weighted with the disappointment of SEC elimination. There will be no trip to Atlanta for defense of their conference championship, as Georgia closed the back door with a win over Kentucky and now must wait to see if Tennessee can win over the Wildcats next week for the Vols clinch. So there wasn’t much celebrating around here after Florida’s 59-20 drubbing of Florida Atlantic, but there was special recognition for senior Andre ( Bubba) Caldwell’s breaking of the reception record. Caldwell hauled in a career-high 13 catches to break the career mark of Carlos Alvarez (172) by five, also enjoying single game high of 167 yards receiving. Alvarez was on the sideline for the special occasion, even cheering for the senior from Tampa Jefferson to break his single game mark of 15 catches set in 1969. After his record-breaking ninth just before the half, a 10-yard screen pass just in front of the Gator bench, the two Gator receivers chatted about the moment. “We had a little laugh, because I said, ‘you know, Bubba, you can break the single game record,’” Alvarez said. “He looked at me and said, ‘how many is that?’ And I said, ‘fifteen.’ “And he said, ‘I’ll give it a try.’” Caldwell fell two shy, in part because he dropped one and another was called back. But the reward from coming back to play his senior year was his name in the record book, with yet two games to fatten up those numbers. “It was a great moment,” said Alvarez. “I was really delighted for him. I was really glad to be here. I was right here when he made that catch on the sideline. What a beautiful catch and run. He really is a gifted receiver.” Coach Urban Meyer asked Alvarez to present Caldwell with the game ball in the locker room, which he did in what Meyer called “an emotional moment” for Carlos. “That tells you what kind of gentleman he is,” Meyer said of Alvarez. Caldwell said setting the record was special because of its heritage: “There have been some great receivers who have played here and to be on top of that category is means a lot for me.” Ordinarily, something as spectacular as Tim Tebow’s individual achievement would be enough for celebration. On Saturday, the sophomore southpaw pitched three more touchdown passes and ran for one, becoming the only man in college football history to run and pass for at least 20 in a single season. We’re talking national college football milestones here. This all came at time when Tebow is being considered the leader in the clubhouse for the Heisman Trophy, yet his coach not only declined to campaign for his quarterback, but was critical of his play. “Tim didn’t play his best game,” Meyer said. “I’ll be critical of Tim, because he needs a little critical analysis once in a while.” Tebow parroted his coach, calling it “not my best game,” even though he accounted for four touchdowns with a career high 25 completions for 338 yards passing. He also had 31 yards rushing, putting his total at 3,600 yards in offense for the season so far. Meyer’s criticism seems a little bit of an odd juxtaposition, what with Tebow being the Heisman front-runner and having added to his SEC records, breaking the mark for rushing touchdowns with his 20th and tossing three more for a season total of 26. Tebow’s conference record for total touchdowns now stands at 46. With Oregon’s Dennis Dixon going down with a season-ending knee injury Thursday, Tebow moved into the pole position for the Heisman race. The Florida quarterback was watching the game when it happened and said he felt badly for Dixon and “I prayed for him.” He said he had no thoughts about the Heisman at that point and continues to put them aside as the Gators prepare for arch rival FSU this week. “This is probably the greatest rivalry we have,” said Tebow, who grew up as a rabid Gator fan. “My dad would probably say Georgia, but I’d say FSU.” Knowing Tebow, I almost believe him. Quick Jump Starts 1. Appalachian State upsets Michigan, Stanford beats USC and now Louisiana-Monroe beats Alabama – yeah, 2007 is just another ordinary season in college football. 2. Boy, I can’t wait to see those Nielsen ratings on NBC for that Notre Dame-Duke blockbuster. 3. Here’s how my Heisman ballot would read if I voted today: Tim Tebow, Florida; 2. Darren McFadden, Arkansas; 3. Chase Daniel, Missouri. 4. Alex Rodriguez took the advice of billionaire Warren Buffett and went around agent Scott Boris to sign with the Yankees, which almost seems so logical that you wonder why other Boris clients haven’t come to their senses and done the same thing 5. This tells you all you know to need about the court of public opinion on Barry Bonds: Until last week, his rookie card sold for up to $2,500 – but now is expected to bring about $100. Short Stuff Tebow would become the third Gator and seventh player from the state of Florida to haul in the Heisman hardware and if we spot you Danny Wuerffel and Steve Spurrier, can you guess the other four? (See answer below) …There are only six players on the Florida Atlantic roster not from the state of Florida – and none of them are starters … Tebow says one reason he likes Caldwell
