http://www.yardbarker.com/rss/school/508 Recent Yardbarker Articles: Florida Gators en-us With each passing game it becomes harder and harder to envision tight end Aaron Hernandez in a Florida uniform in 2010.  Dude is talent.  A huge recruit coming in, Gator fans were excited when he signed with Florida.  Then came the practice reports.  Hernandez dropped A LOT of passes.  He looked lost in the offense.  People began to think maybe he’d be alright, but Hernandez probably wasn’t the player everyone once thought.  But when he put on a game uniform... Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:41:00 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Florida_Gators_27_Vanderbilt_Commodores_3/1526292 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Florida_Gators_27_Vanderbilt_Commodores_3/1526292 Tim Tebow accounted for two touchdowns, Caleb Sturgis kicked two field goals and the Gators beat Vanderbilt 27-3 in a lackluster effort Saturday night at The Swamp. Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:26:00 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/Top_ranked_Florida_earns_sluggish_win_over_Vandy/1521782 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/Top_ranked_Florida_earns_sluggish_win_over_Vandy/1521782 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/Top_ranked_Florida_earns_sluggish_win_over_Vandy/1521782 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/3/2/3249c268a0e90593762c6ef0808e216ff49e9e30/small/GettyImage.ashx_url_http_3a_2f_2fcache.gettyimages.com_2fxc_2f92586580.jpg_3fv_3d1_26c_3dEWSAsset_26k_3d2_26d_3d77BFBA49EF878921CC759DF4EBAC47D00328270B3561BFD22D931A4A09DF0AC295242013C9295DD0.jpg I’ve said it a million times this week, so I’ll lay off it today.  But I will say if you happen to be golfing in the Carrollwood Village area of Tampa today and see a man in a suit at the clubhouse bar alone and cursing the institution of marriage, buy him a drink…he’ll need it.10 things for today’s game…1. The game trophy.  Last week, Florida defeated Georgia to take home the Okefenokee Oar.  This week, if they beat Vanderbilt they get a first edition copy of The First Tycoon:... Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:50:00 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/Game_Preview_Vanderbilt_Commodores_Florida_Gators_117_715/1518425 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/Game_Preview_Vanderbilt_Commodores_Florida_Gators_117_715/1518425 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/Game_Preview_Vanderbilt_Commodores_Florida_Gators_117_715/1518425 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/e/f/efbf91c57ef461a3b951bb5ec840489ab784bcf8/small/Troy_v_Florida_6642.jpg So the SEC backed itself into a corner after weeks of officiating outrage by announcing that any coach who suggested the refs in the league were anything but perfect robotic paragons of justice would get a fine or a suspension. This was probably a good idea after even Vandy's Bobby Johnson got uppity. Then Urban Meyer, spurred by the firestorm over the Brandon Spikes eye-gouging extravaganza, had a complaint or two about chippy play from the Gators, most prominently an obvious unnece... Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:18:40 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/SEC_Tim_Tebow_Getting_Lit_Up_Must_Not_Be_Seen/1514966 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/SEC_Tim_Tebow_Getting_Lit_Up_Must_Not_Be_Seen/1514966 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/SEC_Tim_Tebow_Getting_Lit_Up_Must_Not_Be_Seen/1514966 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/7/5/759553d18e19765e631e8ee9d3898dd4c8a517fe/small/Georgia_v_Florida_af8a.jpg Florida coach Urban Meyer has been fined $30,000 by the Southeastern Conference for public comments about a call he said officials missed during last week's game against Georgia, the conference announced Friday. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:47:33 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Florida_Gators_coach_Urban_Meyer_fined_30000_by_SEC_for_criticizing_officials/1513282 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Florida_Gators_coach_Urban_Meyer_fined_30000_by_SEC_for_criticizing_officials/1513282 With apologies to Slate, the Tim Tebow Messiah Watch is our occasional look at the growing body of evidence — quotes, signs and wonders, excessively fawning prose — that the Florida quarterback is the Lamb of God. Witness: 10-year-old Kris Huggins, via the Florida Times-Union's Mark Woods Testimony: Practice wrapped up. The rest of the players were off the field. And Tebow was about to leave, too, when the officers said something to Tebow. He trotted over to where Kris was st... Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:30:33 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/Tim_Tebow_Messiah_Watch_Blessing_The_Child_Edition/1512697 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/Tim_Tebow_Messiah_Watch_Blessing_The_Child_Edition/1512697 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/Tim_Tebow_Messiah_Watch_Blessing_The_Child_Edition/1512697 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/c/2/c23e41cfc431c9bf30a5b650bbbf951bedce9f14/small/GettyImage.ashx_url_http_3a_2f_2fcache.gettyimages.com_2fxc_2f92588181.jpg_3fv_3d1_26c_3dEWSAsset_26k_3d2_26d_3d77BFBA49EF878921CC759DF4EBAC47D0B219BD10DAEA8E20F311EFEBD8AC8668A25846EE4C489C50.jpg I understand what they’re getting at: the Florida Gators are beginning to use the “I-formation” much more recently and that we should expect to see it even more often as the season finishes up. But this isn’t the way it’s supposed to go – everybody knows you are supposed to find letters within the word [...] Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:30:31 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Hey_Miami_Herald_Headline_Writer_You_8217re_Doing_It_Wrong/1511864 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Hey_Miami_Herald_Headline_Writer_You_8217re_Doing_It_Wrong/1511864 As connoisseurs of disingenuous sports patter, we've decided to head off the public relations firms and get to the athletes in question first to acquire their excuse laden mea culpas full of self serving rationalization and pettiness.  Doing this week's honor?  All-World Florida Gators linebacker Brandon Spikes.  This past Saturday, Brandon ... Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:08:17 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/This_Week_In_Half_Hearted_Apologies_Brandon_Spikes/1503369 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/This_Week_In_Half_Hearted_Apologies_Brandon_Spikes/1503369 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/This_Week_In_Half_Hearted_Apologies_Brandon_Spikes/1503369 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/4/6/468fb5d945acb52929f84e3bbf8cf8662816ec29/small/Georgia_v_Florida_4e26.jpg Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes has had his suspension for apparently trying to gouge the eyes of a Georgia running back increased to a full game. Coach Urban Meyer says it was in the best interest of the team for Spikes to serve a full-game suspension when the top-ranked Gators play Vanderbilt on Saturday. Meyer had faced some criticism for only suspending his All-American linebacker for only the first half the Vandy game. The Southeastern Conference accepted the original punishment. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:29:17 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Florida_increases_Spikes_39_suspension_to_full_game/1501477 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Florida_increases_Spikes_39_suspension_to_full_game/1501477 By JOHN P. WISEOne Great Season STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Florida's tough-guy linebacker Brandon Spikes demonstrated a sensitive side Wednesday night when he announced he'll sit out the entire Vanderbilt game Saturday, according to published reports. YOUR THOUGHTS: Does Spikes' Decision Make Meyer Look Bad? Coach Urban Meyer's decision Monday to suspend Spikes for only the first half of the No. 1 Gators' next game caused quite the backlash in College Football Nation... Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:18:25 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/Brandon_Spikes_Wont_Half_Ass_Vandy_Suspension/1501558 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/Brandon_Spikes_Wont_Half_Ass_Vandy_Suspension/1501558 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/Brandon_Spikes_Wont_Half_Ass_Vandy_Suspension/1501558 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/0/3/03b5e20546419a8fc370b9d84998ec74c5bb09e9/small/92588013.jpg Ben Volin of the Palm Beach Post reports that Florida Gators linebacker Brandon Spikes says he should sit out entire Vanderbilt game for his actions in last Saturdays game against Georgia. Florida has also confirmed that Spikes will serve a full game suspension Saturday against Vanderbilt. In a video on the website Youtube, Spikes is seen attempting [...] Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:55:01 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/Brandon_Spikes_to_serve_full_game_suspension/1501214 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/Brandon_Spikes_to_serve_full_game_suspension/1501214 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/Brandon_Spikes_to_serve_full_game_suspension/1501214 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/0/3/03b5e20546419a8fc370b9d84998ec74c5bb09e9/small/92588013.jpg 17 losses to the Florida Gators in the last 20 years are not sitting too well in Bulldog land. The natives are getting restless. There is a website up at www.firemarkricht.net you can check out for some laughter. The puppy dogs are mad and they want to take it out on their coach. But do [...] Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:43:46 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Fire_Mark_Richt/1497172 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Fire_Mark_Richt/1497172 With apologies to Slate, the Tim Tebow Messiah Watch is our occasional look at the growing body of evidence — quotes, signs and wonders, excessively fawning prose — that the Florida quarterback is the Lamb of God. Today, we have Tim Tebow's comments regarding teammate Brandon Spikes, who on Saturday against Georgia apparently tried to gouge out the eyes of a Bulldogs running back. Witness: Tim Tebow, via Florida Today's David Jones Testimony: "Very emotional things ha... Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:30:19 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Tim_Tebow_Messiah_Watch_Eye_For_An_Eye_Edition/1485582 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Tim_Tebow_Messiah_Watch_Eye_For_An_Eye_Edition/1485582 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Tim_Tebow_Messiah_Watch_Eye_For_An_Eye_Edition/1485582 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/0/f/0ffd33184e9aae4ac21e769da99137d1ab949162/small/GettyImage.ashx_url_http_3a_2f_2fcache.gettyimages.com_2fxc_2f92586488.jpg_3fv_3d1_26c_3dEWSAsset_26k_3d2_26d_3d77BFBA49EF878921CC759DF4EBAC47D085A6EB44E24AC5812D931A4A09DF0AC219C76485748978FC.jpg For that, Brandon Spikes, you get this punishment meted out by Urban Meyer, via the Palm Beach Post's Ben Volin:Urban suspends Spikes for the first part of this weeks Vandy gameUm. That's it? Could you define "first part" for me, Urbie?Urban decided to suspend Spikes for a half after speaking with SEC office this morningThat's better? I guess? It's still pathetic.Michigan's Jonas Mouton earned a one-game suspension from the Big Ten for a rabbit punch earlier this... Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:34:40 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/Brandon_Spikes_Suspended_For_First_Half_of_Next_Game_for_Eye_Gouge/1484839 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/Brandon_Spikes_Suspended_For_First_Half_of_Next_Game_for_Eye_Gouge/1484839 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/Brandon_Spikes_Suspended_For_First_Half_of_Next_Game_for_Eye_Gouge/1484839 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/6/a/6a3729601c61efc0e0c0a510fbca09d64cf79ed3/small/spikes.jpg I would like to say this is not what Florida Gator football players are taught.  The running back for Georgia was not seriously injured but with the attention this is getting you would have thought he was blind.  Tim Tebow was poked in the eye earlier in the game as well but no one is [...] Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:57:42 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/Brandon_Spikes_Eye_Gouge_Against_Georgia/1484162 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/Brandon_Spikes_Eye_Gouge_Against_Georgia/1484162 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/Brandon_Spikes_Eye_Gouge_Against_Georgia/1484162 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/d/e/de146bf6b082a013f75a608ca3d1e21051c5a4f4/small/Charleston_Southern_v_ff2b.jpg For an undefeated, top-ranked team, Florida needed Saturday's blowout over Georgia very badly, for all kinds of reasons. Mainly, the win was for the benefit of the revived offense, which got untracked after accounting for fewer than 24 points (its worst output en route to the national championship in 2008) three weeks in a row, and finished three long touchdown drives in the first half to break out of its recent habit of settling for field goals. For the pollsters, a 24-point blitzing of... Sun, 01 Nov 2009 10:09:12 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Gators_say_they_feel_the_love_again_after_Tebow_Spikes_skirmish/1477891 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Gators_say_they_feel_the_love_again_after_Tebow_Spikes_skirmish/1477891 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Gators_say_they_feel_the_love_again_after_Tebow_Spikes_skirmish/1477891 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/4/6/468fb5d945acb52929f84e3bbf8cf8662816ec29/small/Georgia_v_Florida_4e26.jpg The biggest question mark in the 2010 NFL Draft is Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, who's viewed by some as a future franchise quarterback and by others as a guy who will need to move to another position if he'll ever... Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:54:47 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/Tony_Dungy_Tim_Tebow_will_be_a_great_NFL_quarterback/1464153 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/Tony_Dungy_Tim_Tebow_will_be_a_great_NFL_quarterback/1464153 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/Tony_Dungy_Tim_Tebow_will_be_a_great_NFL_quarterback/1464153 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/6/3/633e743a20fd46e32fe66cfdb5ed493ac960ded2/small/GettyImage.ashx_url_http_3a_2f_2fcache.gettyimages.com_2fxc_2f91970931.jpg_3fv_3d1_26c_3dEWSAsset_26k_3d2_26d_3d77BFBA49EF878921CC759DF4EBAC47D09A99609EAD51E365A89F3160666C7DAC1461ED5028FFF297.jpg With apologies to Slate, the Tim Tebow Messiah Watch is our occasional look at the growing body of evidence — quotes, signs and wonders, excessively fawning prose — that the Florida quarterback is the Lamb of God. Today's piece of evidence comes from Florida's sloppy 29-19 over Mississippi State, against whom Tebow threw two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns. Witness: Mark Long, Associated Press Testimony: "[Tebow] is clearly getting disheartened with hi... Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:20:03 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Tim_Tebow_Messiah_Watch_Den_Of_Reporters_Edition/1460193 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Tim_Tebow_Messiah_Watch_Den_Of_Reporters_Edition/1460193 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/Tim_Tebow_Messiah_Watch_Den_Of_Reporters_Edition/1460193 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/f/5/f5b9ba173e20ed1a5ebbe383f45286345c541e4c/small/92586580.jpg The Florida Gators rallied late to defeat Arkansas 23-20. Sat, 17 Oct 2009 18:04:00 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/Florida_rallies_to_edge_Arkansas/1387416 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/Florida_rallies_to_edge_Arkansas/1387416 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/Florida_rallies_to_edge_Arkansas/1387416 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/e/f/effdb3f4e41cff8c744ec5e4dd7ecebd055126cc/small/91969682.jpg