Monday, 12/04/06

12/04/06 Gators chomp the Hogs!

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Sunday, 12/03/06

How 'Bout Them Gators

Could that selection show have been more agonizing?

It's a good thing we were able to find out which teams would play in the Fiesta Bowl and the Orange Bowl before the National Championship.

I thought I would find out at 7:50 PM if it would be Florida or Michigan. Four video montages, one coach interview, three commercial breaks, and 22 minutes later it was revealed.

Florida-Ohio State in the National Championship.

Sunday, 12/03/06

The Best of Missionsecfootball.com

It started in Starkville with Mississippi State hosting South Carolina. The sounds of cowbells rang in the new SEC football season, and missionsecfootball.com was underway.

It ended three and a half months later with Florida and Arkansas, battling to become the best team in the conference. As the Gators stormed the field and celebrated, our job was done. Thankfully, we went out with a bang. A 38-28 UF victory. A wacky and exciting game that had seven points in the first quarter and 59 points in the final three. And it was the sound of the UF fans and marching band that ended the 2006 SEC season and our mission.

Glenn, Emily, and I enjoyed our time out here driving through the South. We need to thank all of the people in New York that made this possible and did a lot of the behind the scenes work that made our mission so successful. It was a great team effort that we'll never forget. Also, we need to thank the fans, SIDs, and all other people who we met along the way that helped us out.

As a way of saying goodbye, we've put together a "Best Of" list. Some categories were difficult and required an honorable mention. Others were considerably easier.

Enjoy.

Sunday, 12/03/06

12/03/06 UF Fans react to UCLA win!

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Sunday, 12/03/06

12/03/06 Championship Tailgating

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Saturday, 12/02/06

Florida Wins SEC With a 38-28 Win Over Arkansas

Next week: Florida vs. Michigan. Neutral site. Winner goes to the National Championship!

In a perfect world, that's what we would be talking about right now, but the Gators and Wolverines will wait in anticipation to find out who travels to Arizona and who becomes the latest example of the BCS's problems.

"We're gonna enjoy this win and think about that stuff tomorrow morning," Florida receiver Jemalle Cornelius said.

Saturday, 12/02/06

This Florida Victory is Just Like the Rest of Them

In many ways, this was an atypical win for the Florida Gators. UF averaged 22.2 points per game in the regular season. They exploded for 38 against an Arkansas team that has allowed only 13.7 points per game since the season opener. I was expecting UF to come out throwing, but the Gators kept in on the ground with Percy Harvin. There were shovel passes and options instead of crossing routes and wide receiver screens.

As you look at the overall body of work, though, this game was a microcosm of the entire season. UF's run through the SEC has been marked with clutch fourth quarter drives by quarterback Chris Leak. He did it again today, taking the Gators 80 yards for a touchdown that made it 38-28. That was the final score.

Saturday, 12/02/06

Spurrier Stays at South Carolina

South Carolina fans can breathe a sigh of relief. The Ol' Ball Coach is staying put, having just received a significant pay raise that increases his annual salary by $500,000. This is great news for Gamecocks fans and players.

Having seen South Carolina several times, I've been impressed with the progress the team has made this season. Now, we have to see the progress the program makes in the upcoming years. Losing Spurrier would have been a big setback. Spurrier is a good coach, and he is instant credibility for a football program that needs it.

With the coach staying put, I expect to see the Gamecocks playing in much bigger Bowl Games soon. I don't think they are too far from the SEC Championship Game. All year long, USC proved it could play with the best teams in the conference, and I think having Spurrier on the sidelines will definitely give the fans, and probably the players, confidence that the Gamecocks can win every game.

Saturday, 12/02/06

12/02/06 SEC FanFest 2006

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Saturday, 12/02/06

12/02/06 Lunch with the Coaches

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