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SEC Media picks UF to win East,SEC

Jgator — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 10:41:09 GMT

Vent away my Bulldog buddies!

Steve Megargee
Rivals.com College Football Staff Writer

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Georgia enters this season with sky-high expectations, but the Bulldogs will end the year looking up in the standings at their fiercest rival.

At least that's the opinion of the Southeastern Conference media, who selected Florida to win the league title Friday by a surprisingly substantial margin.

Florida received 45 first-place votes in the Eastern Division poll and was the choice to win the entire conference by 36 of the 70 voters. Georgia got 23 first-place votes to win the Eastern Division and 18 votes to win the entire league.

SEC PRESEASON MEDIA POLL

EAST

1. Florida (45 first-place votes)
2. Georgia (23)
3. Tennessee (2)
4. South Carolina
5. Kentucky
6. Vanderbilt

WEST

1. Auburn (48)
2. LSU (21)
3. Alabama
4. Mississippi State
5. Ole Miss (1)
6. Arkansas

SEC champion: Florida (36), Georgia (18), Auburn (13), LSU (1), Tennessee (1), Ole Miss (1).

Auburn was the Western Division favorite with 48 first-place votes, while defending national champion LSU was second with 21 votes. Auburn also received 13 votes to win the entire league, while only one of the 70 voters predicted the defending national champions would win a second straight SEC crown.

Florida and Georgia are expected to open the season ranked among the top six teams in the nation. Players and coaches from both teams have said the Florida-Georgia rivalry has intensified in the wake of the Bulldogs' 42-30 victory over the Gators last year.

"I think it will be a very big game, to say the least," Florida quarterback Tim Tebow said earlier this week. "It could be (one of) the top few teams in the country, playing that game with the right to play in the SEC – or maybe the national – championship for the winner."

Of course, neither Florida nor Georgia won the Eastern Division last year. That honor instead belonged to Tennessee, which was picked to finish third this season and received only two first-place votes. Only one voter selected the Volunteers to win the entire conference.

That's no surprise to Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer, who assumed his team would be picked to finish third or fourth when he spoke to the media Thursday.

"I am excited about the fact that you're always looking for ways to motivate your football team any way that you can," Fulmer said. "I appreciate (your) help by picking us third or fourth in the East. It has served us pretty well at different times. We'll certainly use that."

Auburn led all teams with nine selections to the preseason all-SEC team, though defensive tackle Sen'Derrick Marks and punter Ryan Shoemaker were the only first-team picks. LSU followed with eight selections.

Florida had the most first-team selections with five. Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Tebow led a Florida first-team contingent that also included wide receiver Percy Harvin, tight end Cornelius Ingram, linebacker Brandon Spikes and return specialist Brandon James. LSU followed with four first-team picks. LSU's first-teamers included offensive tackle Ciron Black, defensive end Tyson Jackson, linebacker Darry Beckwith and kicker Colt David.

SEC Overall Records for the past 10 years.

SacFalcFan — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 01:09:40 GMT

1. Georgia (97-30)
2T. Florida (93-34)
2T. Tennessee (93-34)
4. LSU (89-37)
5. Auburn (83-41)
6. Arkansas (75-49)
7. Alabama (70-54)
8. Ole Miss (60-59)
9. South Carolina (55-63)
10. Miss. St. (51-68)
11. Kentucky (49-69)
12. Vanderbilt (32-82)

Richt expects Stafford to return for senior season.

SacFalcFan — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:01:42 GMT

Richt expects Stafford to return for senior season

By CHIP TOWERS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 07/24/08

Hoover, Ala. — Georgia coach Mark Richt said he knows that quarterback Matthew Stafford is rated at the top of many NFL draft boards even though he's only a junior. But Richt said he expects Stafford to return for his senior season.

"I hope that he is the first pick in the draft — two years from now," Richt said. "You know, I'm sure Matthew is going to have to make a tough decision when the season is over. But I know he came to win a lot of games and to win a lot of championships. He came to play great as a collegian. I'm sure he feels like he hasn't reached his full potential as a college player and as a Georgia Bulldog. He is ready to have a great experience and that's what we're hoping for."

RICHT: DOGS NOT NO. 1

Richt said he won't vote Georgia No. 1 when he casts his vote in the coaches poll later this year.

"I doubt it," he said. "The starting point for my poll has always been to choose the consensus of everybody. We're not a consensus No. 1."

According to a compilation done by the SEC of predictions from preseason magazines, Ohio State is the consensus No. 1 pick followed by USC. Georgia and Oklahoma are tied for third.

SABAN: MILES 'RIGHT'

Alabama coach Nick Saban didn't seem very upset when LSU coach Les Miles recently took a jab at Alabama: "a lot of people from Lousiana beat that team last year," a reference to Louisiana-Monroe's upset of the Tide.

"He told the truth," Saban said Thursday. "He told it like it was. You know, we need to earn that respect. That's what we'll work to do."

NUTT LIKES TALENT-BASE

New Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt, who came to Oxford from Arkansas after last season, was complimentary of the recruiting job former Rebels coach Ed Orgeron did.

"I think Ed did an excellent job of recruiting," Nutt said. "There's some holes at different spots, different positions. But if you look at Greg Hardy, Michael Oher, Peria Jerry; look at receivers Michael Wallace, Shay Hodge, Lionel Breaux, Dexter McCluster; boy, there's spots of tremendous athleticism."

FULMER LAUDS BERRY

Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer gushed about Eric Berry before finally concluding that the sophomore defensive back from Fairburn could be one of the best players Tennessee has had in a long time.

"I don't know if you have enough tape to talk about all the things Eric Berry brings," Fulmer said. "He's got great character, great work ethic. He's a very smart young man. He takes academics very seriously. He wants to be a dentist. He brings his A game to practice every day, to the weight room, wherever. I just love all those tangible and intangible things he brings."

ALABAMA-CLEMSON GAME

Richt was diplomatic but you can tell he's not thrilled about the game between Alabama and Clemson in the Georgia Dome on August 30. He has obvious concerns about recruiting implications.

"Well it's good for them," Richt said. "I don't particularly like people trying to grab our players and having a presence in the state. But they were smart enough to do it and I'm sure it will be a good game."

Richt: UGA win, not penalty, renewed Fla. rivalry.

SacFalcFan — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:00:23 GMT

Richt: UGA win, not penalty, renewed Fla. rivalry
Bulldogs' coach responds to Meyer's comments about 'bad deal' celebration

By CHIP TOWERS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 07/24/08

Hoover, Ala. — Georgia won't play Florida for another 99 days. But Bulldogs coach Mark Richt found himself talking an awful lot about the Gators during his time on the podium for SEC Football Media Days on Thursday.

That's because Florida coach Urban Meyer recently resurrected the controversy about Georgia's now infamous touchdown celebration at the beginning of the their game last year. The Bulldogs were assessed two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties when the entire team left the bench and rushed to the end zone to celebrate Georgia's opening score in the 42-30 victory at Alltell Stadium.

"I don't think there's any doubt it's intensified the rivalry," Richt said Thursday. "But what intensified the rivalry is that we won. OK? I mean, that's the reality."

After the game in Jacksonville, Richt confessed that he had instructed his team to get a celebration penalty as a motivational tactic "to create energy and enthusiasm."

In a new book that will be released in September, "Urban's Way," Meyer calls the move "a bad deal" that he will "never forget" and threatens retribution this year. Meyer stood behind those remarks when he addressed the media here on Wednesday.

As a result, the 12th question Richt fielded from reporters here Thursday morning was about the celebration. The discussion remained on the topic for several minutes.

Richt recounted in great detail the reasoning that led to his decision to conjure the celebration, which was essentially to create the energy and enthusiasm he felt was missing in previous games against Tennessee and Vanderbilt.

"Now, I'm thinking in my mind, my little pea brain, 11 guys in the game, score a touchdown, 11 guys jump up and down and celebrate until the official throws the flag," Richt said Thursday. "That was my intention."

Richt said he did not stop to consider the dangers of such a tactic and expressed the same regrets as he did in a letter to SEC Commissioner the week after the game last fall. He also reminded reporters that he called Meyer the day after the game, explained his reasoning and apologized.

"In hindsight, I asked the team to do an unsportsmanlike act," Richt said Thursday. "It's called unsportsmanlike conduct, excessive celebration. In hindsight, I shouldn't have done it. I won't do anything like that again. It could have easily turned into a big stupid brawl and everything else. That's as truthful as I can tell you what happened."

Richt did not, however, express any concern for how the ploy may motivate the Gators for this year's Nov. 1 matchup in Jacksonville. The Bulldogs lead the 104-year-old series 47-37-2 but Florida fans tend to cite the last 18 games of which the Gators have won 15.

"You know, people want to talk about streaks in that game. The way I see it, we won last year. We won two out of the last four," Richt said. "And if you want to start going back in history, you might as well go back to the beginning of the history of the series and see where Georgia is there. I don't know why everybody wants to go just 15 games back. I mean, if you want to go back, go back to the beginning. If you want to talk about recent history, let's talk about last year, the last few games, you know."

Urban looks for payback against UGA.

SacFalcFan — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:06:27 GMT

Urban looks for payback against UGA

By Mark Bradley | Thursday, July 24, 2008, 07:51 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Urban Meyer is still ticked about Georgia’s celebration. We know this because a forthcoming book quotes Urban Meyer as saying, “It was a bad deal. And it will forever be in the mind of Urban Meyer and our football team.”

Crocodile tears from a Gator. Boo and hoo.

Named after a Pope, Urban Meyer is apparently under the impression that Urban Meyer is a saint. Never mind that Georgia was appropriately penalized - two personal fouls, the combination requiring a kickoff from the 8-yard-line. Never mind that Urban Meyer’s team is such a stickler for rules that it ranked next-to-last nationally in penalties in 2006 and 113th among 119 Division I teams in 2007. Never mind that Mark Richt has apologized repeatedly for a prescribed bit of emotion that turned into a team-wide ad lib.

Urban Meyer is still so ticked as to feel the need to refer to Urban Meyer in the third person, which as we know is the height of humility.

Urban Meyer is a good coach but something of a baby. He teared up after Florida lost at LSU in 2005, thereby earning the nickname, “Urban Crier.” He whined in 2006 that Urban Meyer’s Gators belonged in the BCS title game ahead of Michigan and began to lobby for a playoff system and then, having gotten Urban Meyer’s way and won Urban Meyer’s national championship, was moved to say, “I want to make sure I am perfectly clear that I think the bowl system is what it’s all about.”

Now this. Again from the book by Buddy Martin (titled, appropriately enough, “Urban’s Way”): “We’ll handle [the Georgia celebration]. And it’s going to be a big deal.”

Really? The same forceful way Urban Meyer’s incensed defenders handled it that day in Jacksonville? By yielding five more touchdowns and losing 42-30?

Perhaps what most rankles Urban Meyer is the realization that, with one imperfectly scripted tactical swoop, Richt changed the dynamics of a series. Perhaps Urban Meyer grasps that the Bulldogs are no longer apt to roll over and be dominated. Perhaps Urban Meyer is just sorry that he, Urban Meyer, didn’t think of it first.

*** The last paragraph to me says it all. Many are sick of meyer's whining. I respect Tebow a lot regarding his comments yesterday.

Aaron Murray wins MVP at Elite 11. He is the best of the best.

SacFalcFan — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:38:18 GMT

You can notch up another big award for one of the top quarterbacks in the nation. Georgia Bulldog commitment Aaron Murray returned home to Tampa this afternoon with Elite 11's Most Valuable Player award. The event comprised of some of the nation's best quarterbacks, including two from the Sunshine State. After several days of instruction and skills testing, it was Plant's quarterback that walked away with the big honor. FV caught up with Murray just before he got on a plane to return home. In typical Murray style, he gave credit to everyone but himself.

"I'm extremely honored and very excited just to be on the same field with all of these great quarterbacks at the Elite 11," explained Murray. "It was honestly just an unforgettable experience and I really picked up a lot of things from the coaches that can further make me be a more efficient quarterback this year."

Not surprisingly, Murray gave a lot of credit to his coaches, family and his team.

"The coaches at Plant deserve a lot of the credit and I was just excited to just be able to participate in an event like the Elite 11. My goal coming in was just to represent Plant and the state of Florida the best I possibly could. I also wanted to build a lot of relationships with the guys here and just really be laid back and have a lot of fun out there."

Obviously it was a big honor to win the MVP, but Murray told FV he took away something much more valuable.

"Anyone of the quarterbacks could have won the MVP, but it was really about just taking in all that information. We had some of the top college quarterbacks showing us the ropes and teaching us a lot of the things we didn't know or could improve on. I learned a lot with dropping back in the pocket, reads and just so much it's almost hard to put into words. Getting to know a lot the other quarterbacks was very special for me because they are really going through the same process as me."

The Georgia Bulldog commitment headed into the Elite 11 event with some lofty credentials. As a junior Murray had state record of 51 touchdowns, while throwing for over 4,000 yards. The 6-foot-1, 205 pound standout also finished with over 900 yards rushing and 12 rushing touchdowns. While the honor of being named one of the nation's best was important, is there one goal that could top this one?

"Oh, yeah. I want a State Championship bad. I mean this was huge, but I think about that state title a lot and this kind of experience will help me improve on different things with my game like footwork, timing and release points throwing the football. I have a lot of goals I've set for myself before I continue my career at Georgia and hopefully I can continue that success."

Fulmer has received a subpena to appear in AL according to JOX in Bham. Not sure if it's a true one or not.

SacFalcFan — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:44:07 GMT

Here is the subpena per someone at the conference (but per other's it's a hoax):

[url]http://fototime.com/%7BEF16C0DA-08F0-412B-8DE2-4E4EC056B8F5%7D/picture.JPG[/url]

Many want to find out who killed Young. Most don't buy the death story. Tennstud who is a huge ut booster (or was) and was in the middle of this is being questioned about Young's murder by the memphis police (but per him it's just for information).

Here is Tennstud's comment on this:

* Tennstud
* [***** Subscriber]
* RockyTopForever
* 9169 posts this site
* Ignore this Member
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Nominate | Report

Posted: Today 4:04 PM
I received a phone call this morning from a Memphis police
lieutenant, wanting me to come to 201 Poplar, Memphis Police Hdq. He wouldn't tell me what it concerned so I made a 2PM appointment. Anxious as to the subject and what the police was interested in, I called his number again and was shocked, surprised, to discover that it was the Homicide Dept. I told him I would be right down. Another officer guided me to his office. The lieutenant was joined by a most professional lady seargeant. They asked me did I know what it was about and I told them no, but it might be about Logan Young's death. They said it was. I was offered the opportunity to sign a release form, statement, which I did.
I told them of my 10+ year history, friendship, with Logan Young from 1984-1996, ending when Peyton defeated Alabama and that infamous night at Folks Folly. I told them I did not have anything to do with Logan's demise but I did not lose any sleep, telling them of Logan calling me late one night and after I thanked him for sening the beautifu-and expensive-floral arrangement for my mother's funeral; he said he regretted it, she was a piece of s__t.
A lot can't be told but from what I gathered, they have had numerous complaints about my involvement with Logan's death, there's a new cable program being filmed covering Logan's death, and they were just covering themselves( an editorial note; they were most professional during the interview, questions etc) in case the Memphis Commercial-Appeal inquired as to why I hadn't been investigated.
When you are innocent, you are not concerned. You just answer the questions and move on. Some of my friends calling me were, are, a lot more concerned than I. I liked, disliked, Logan but not enough to get involved in a real killing. One of the questions I feared was "If you did, indeed, push Logan down the stairs, would you have really yelled "Roll Tide, Roll." Yes, I would have. I was amused about the entire hearing, questioning. Go Vols! Don't mess with UT!!

Who is the true Tailback U?

Ethanga62890 — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:51:34 GMT

UNC with 24 1000 yard rushers. The most in the NCAA :D

Kirk Herbstreit on Stafford: "He is outstanding. Will win the Heisman and be the best QB this year and #1 overall pick."

SacFalcFan — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 21:25:33 GMT

:D I guess he is a UGA homer. :hehe::hehe:

Michigan meets Appalachian State in the NFL

Demetrius Dew — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 05:20:22 GMT

[url=http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2008/072008/07222008/396805]Link[/url]

DEAR REDSKINS FANS,

Undrafted free agent Kerry Brown is hoping for a spot on the Redskins' roster this season.

On one of the best days of Kerry Brown's life, two of his fingers were broken and he was surrounded by more than 100,000 people who didn't like him.

Brown, a rookie offensive lineman, attended Appalachian State, a small Division I-AA university in Boone, N.C. Last fall, the Mountaineers won at Michigan in one of the greatest upsets in college football history.

It was kind of like an ant defeating a can of Raid.

This week, Brown is among a slew of roster hopefuls who might as well be called hair because there is a good chance they will be cut.

But I figured that after beating Michigan, Brown must think that anything's possible. I walked over and introduced myself, but when I extended my hand, I noticed his were both holding helmets.

"This one's Jon Jansen's," Brown said, referring to the Redskins' veteran tackle who is a--gulp--Michigan alum. "He came over to me and said, 'Hey, rook. Carry my helmet. Where's Appalachian State now?'"

Ouch.

But Brown didn't have to say anything. He just paused and remembered that indelible day last fall. He remembered how the pain disappeared from his mangled fingers. He remembered how Michigan's stadium was so eerily silent that he could hear one of his friends roaring in the upper deck.

Now he wants to complete another unlikely feat. He wants to make this team.

"It's like riding a bull--you just stay on as long as you can," Brown said yesterday. "Most people wouldn't have given me a chance to even make it this far."

At least one of Brown's teammates hopes he sticks around. After the morning practice, Jansen strolled into the training facility with both hands free.

"It's great to have Kerry here," Jansen said. "I don't like carrying my helmet."

Tim Terrific

gamecocknfire — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:45:24 GMT

Morris: Tim Terrific
So what can’t the guy do? With one Heisman already in his pocket, Florida’s quarterback is making a huge impact on and off the field

HOOVER, Ala.

THE TIM TEBOW Show made its way to Alabama on Wednesday, and he did not disappoint. If ever there existed a better ambassador for college football, I would like to meet him.

This guy is more than the perfect one for your daughter to meet and, heck, marry. He gives new meaning to the term "golden boy." He borders on being too good to be true. Women find him easy on the eyes. He carries close to a 4.0 grade-point average in his school work. He is charming and quick-witted.

He also plays a pretty mean game of football.

But this goes well beyond winning the Heisman Trophy as Tebow did a season ago as Florida's quarterback. It goes beyond being the first sophomore to haul away the bronze trophy as the best player in the college game.

This goes to Tim Tebow, the person. My gosh, he is gaining Chuck Norris status. Insert "Tim Tebow" for "Chuck Norris" the next time you tell jokes: If paper beats rock, rock beats scissors, and scissors beats paper, what beats all three at the same time? Tim Tebow, of course; Tim Tebow does not use spell check. Webster changes the word when Tebow misspells it.

Perhaps for the first time in the history of SEC media days, a player needed the big stage Wednesday to address the print media. Tebow stood and answered questions head on where previously only head coaches had stood and evaded such questions. All other SEC players talked at smaller side tables.

The more he talked, the more Tebow won everyone over. This from a young man who is not permitted to drink beer legally until August, as if that would be even a remote possibility. If there were any doubters among the 300 or so media members who listened to Tebow, they likely were eliminated as he spoke about his recent offseason.

"I can take what I do in playing football as a game and change people's lives with it," Tebow said. "That's why football is such a great game. That's kind of why I do the things, preaching in prisons, doing those different things, trying to take advantage of that platform that God has blessed me with."

Tebow served church missions in the Philippines, Croatia and Thailand. The Philippines trip is an annual excursion as part of his father's Bob Tebow Evangelistic Association. This time, when called on to fill in as a surgeon, Tebow participated in circumcisions and the removal of cysts on small children.

When he returned to Florida, Tebow visited numerous prisons throughout the state and played a role in converting many to Christianity. In his spare time, he organized a powder-puff football game that raised $10,000 for charity.

"If I can change a kid's life for the better, that's much more important to me than beating Georgia or Florida State, or whatever team it is. That's very special to me," Tebow said. "Having the ability to put a smile on a kid's face, to go to a hospital and see a girl who is about to die and see her smile because you're there to see her. You can't put a price on what that does for me."

Tebow traveled nearly 20,000 miles this offseason. He was honored in nine states by 15 organizations. His parents and the Florida sports information office sorted through thousands of speaking requests.

None of the adulation and the rock-star status has seemed to adversely affect Tebow. He is a veteran at being in the spotlight. Before he graduated from Nease High School in Florida, his name was attached to a bill in the Alabama state legislature, one that did not pass but would have permitted private school athletes to compete for public schools as Tebow did. Upon announcing his commitment to Florida, Tebow was the subject of an hour-long ESPN documentary titled "The Chosen One."

Do not think for a minute that the off-field Tebow frenzy will somehow be detrimental to his on-field performance this coming season. He said his focus in the offseason was to become more knowledgeable about the game.

"My biggest goal this year, as far as football goes, was becoming a better decision-maker," Tebow said. "What that entails is when I approach the line of scrimmage, it's recognizing defenses faster, getting us into a better play faster. When the play happens, when I'm dropping back, maybe not always having to make the big play."

With that, Tebow thanked everyone for coming and headed off for another task that will further his ever-growing legacy. He learned that Emma King of Hoover, Ala., whose seventh birthday arrives on Friday, was left in tears in The Wynfrey Hotel lobby earlier in the day.

King's sign that read "All I Want 4 My Birthday Is To Meet Tim Tebow" went unnoticed by the star as he was ushered around the lobby and into an elevator to the second floor.

The girl's patience paid off as Tebow made one birthday wish come true, beyond her wildest imagination. She and her family got to meet her idol face-to-face in a private room.

Word has it that Tebow left the room with a bigger smile than the girl.

UF could be in DEEP trouble in their secondary

millejb — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 18:14:46 GMT

Apparently they just lost two safeties to injury, one safety transfered, another safety was kicked off the team for using a dead girls credit card, and Dee Finley didn't make it in. Can a Florida fan tell me what kind of depth y'all will have back there.

Inquiry not over at Iowa.. Sexual assault situation.

SacFalcFan — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:28:01 GMT

IOWA CITY, Iowa - The Iowa Board of Regents on Tuesday reopened its pending investigation of how the University of Iowa handled its inquiry into the alleged sexual assault of a woman by two football players.

The board took action after learning about letters sent by the mother of the woman who claims she was raped on Oct. 14 at a campus dorm.

The letters were sent last November and in May to school officials, including University of Iowa President Sally Mason, but were not disclosed to the regents until last week after they were provided to the Iowa City Press-Citizen newspaper.

The May letter has not been made public.

In the letters, the mother accuses the university of mishandling its response to her daughter's allegations.

She said officials encouraged her daughter, also an Iowa athlete, to pursue a resolution "informally" and within the athletic department. She said the family was told that it would be faster than the "arduous" process of involving police.

Board of regents president David Miles said Tuesday that he was "dumbfounded" the letters weren't made available, and called it "a serious breach of trust."

"This board owes Iowans a full accounting, and they will get it," he said.

The board appointed Regent Bonnie Campbell, a former state attorney general, to oversee the new investigation. The panel is expected to complete a report by Sept. 18.

During Tuesday's meeting, Mason expressed her "profound and sincere regret" for not turning over the letters to the regents. She said she believed that releasing them would violate federal privacy laws.

"I apologize for this error and for not making certain that the board had access to all information relevant to this case," she told the board.

Speaking to reporters afterward, Mason defended the university's response. While the decision to withhold the letters from the regents was a mistake with "untenable" legal justification, Mason said school officials had otherwise followed protocol.

She deflected questions about whether school officials should be fired.

"Do I feel like my job is on the line? My job is on the line every day, OK?" she said. "My job is obviously to protect the integrity of the university and to do the best job that I can to make sure that things are the way they should be. I feel very strongly that we did our best under very difficult circumstances.

"There can be disagreements, obviously, about how that worked out."

Iowa Athletic Director Gary Barta also attended Tuesday's meeting but did not address the board. Speaking to reporters, he defended the school's response, saying repeatedly that school officials had "followed protocol" but declined to answer specific questions.

"As we enter into this next investigation again we'll fully cooperate ... We went through a process," the first time, he said. "We took a very difficult situation and ... we informed the appropriate people and we kept them informed throughout the process."

Barta said he felt as though school officials were under attack but said they would be vindicated.

"It's difficult, you know, especially at a time when my character is being questioned, (football coach) Kirk (Ferentz's), the president's, but eventually we'll have an opportunity to talk about it, first privately with the board and ... ultimately one day share it publicly," Barta said.

Miles said he and other board members only learned about the letters from the university after the school learned that the Iowa City Press-Citizen was planning to publish them. He said the letter should have provided a "roadmap" for the regents' investigation.

"The allegations she raised need answers ..." Miles said. "I'm not going to speculate on what we should do if they're true. The allegations absolutely deserve answers, but I'm not going to assume they're all correct."

Last month, the Board of Regents said its investigation had showed the university appropriately handled the allegations. But that was before it had the letters, and Miles said all information in the case must be included as part of any inquiry.

Mason said she welcomed any additional process the regents could launch into the handling of the case. The university also planned to hire outside experts to examine the handling of all sexual assault cases once the regent's inquiry is completed, she said.

"You will have the full cooperation of the U of I faculty, staff and administration," she told the regents.

Abe Satterfield and Cedric Everson, who have left the football team, are accused of sexually assaulting the woman last October. Everson has been charged with second-degree sexual assault and Satterfield has been charged with second- and third-degree sexual assault. Both have pleaded not guilty.

Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on 072308

Most hated SEC coaches by opposing fans

jdu00743 — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:40:28 GMT

My breakdown:

1. Spurrier
2. Fulmer
3. Saban
4. Meyer
5. Tuberville
6. Miles
7. Nutt
8. Brooks
9. Petrino
10. Croom
11. Richt
12. Johnson

Aaron Murray takes home another title.. Of course with UGA..

SacFalcFan — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 22:34:16 GMT

Murray takes home another title

By Brian Stumpf
ESPN.com

The four days of the Elite 11 are heavy on competition for the select top quarterbacks in the Class of 2009, both on the field and in the classroom. On Tuesday night, the QBs took the competition to another outlet - the EA SPORTS NCAA 2009 videogame tournament.

Heading into the tournament, the two favorites seemed to be college counselor Chase Daniel out of Missouri, who finished second in last year's tourney, and Georgia-bound signal caller Zach Mettenberger, who had been crushing the competition on "the sticks" every since his arrival on Monday afternoon.

Mettenberger's status as a favorite was short-lived, however, as his similarly Georgia-bound roommate Aaron Murray scored a huge upset in the first round, knocking off his confident confidante 27-24. It was the start of just another winning effort for Murray, who took eventually took home the NCAA 09 title with three more victories, just four days after leading his Tampa Plant team to victory in the NIKE 7ON championship in Portland, Oregon.

"I certainly wasn't expecting this victory tonight," Murray explained after his triumph.

"But I got my offense going, found a couple of plays I liked and just keep it going from there."

Murray's victory in the title game was a thrilling one, as he banged home a short field goal as time expired to top Richard Brehaut 24-21. Murray played the entire tournament with Georgia, the school he is committed to, while Brehaut, a UCLA pledge, played with the Florida Gators. Interestingly enough, Murray, Garrett Gilbert (Texas), Raymond Cotton (Auburn) and Tajh Boyd (West Virginia) were the only Elite 11 QBs to play the tournament with the colleges they have made commitments to.

Murray vanquished Mettenberger, Tom Savage, AJ McCarron and Brehaut to take home the title. Last year's EA SPORTS NCAA tourney was won by Florida State signee E.J. Manuel. See below for a complete rundown of the games and which teams the players played with. 1st Round:
Chase Daniel (Clemson) 21
Allan Bridgford (Illinois) 0

Matt Stafford (Georgia) 28
Bryn Renner (Texas Tech) 21

Aaron Murray (Georgia) 27
Zach Mettenberger (Purdue) 24

Tom Savage (Texas Tech) 14
Garrett Gilbert (Texas) 9

AJ McCarron (Miami) 21
Raymond Cotton (Auburn) 14

Andrew Maxwell (Michigan State) 20 OT
Curtis Painter (Purdue) 17

Richard Brehaut (Florida) 28
Mark Sanchez (USC) 7

Eugene Smith (Florida) 42
Tajh Boyd (West Virginia) 21

Quarterfinals:
AJ McCarron (Miami) 31
Eugene Smith (Florida) 24

Aaron Murray (Georgia) 38
Tom Savage (Texas Tech) 35

Richard Brehaut (Florida) 18
Matt Stafford (Georgia) 14

Chase Daniel (Clemson) 34
Andrew Maxwell (Ohio State) 14

Semifinals:
Aaron Murray (Georgia) 21
AJ McCarron (Miami) 0

Richard Brehaut (Florida) 24
Chase Daniel (Clemson) 0

Finals:
Aaron Murray (Georgia) 24
Richard Brehaut (Florida) 21

[url]http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/recruiting/football/news/story?id=3501493[/url]

Counting down the most prestigious programs since 1984-85

Demetrius Dew — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 05:15:39 GMT

Only 30 - 21 the rest will be released today.

[url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3493497]ESPN Link[/url]

And of course Michigan made the list or I would not post it.:P:P;);)

Is meyer correct, does uf have the toughest schedule in the country?

SacFalcFan — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 21:51:15 GMT

:P Just for fun.. he commented earlier this week that UF has the #1 hardest schedule in the country.. Is he correct? Is he making excuses in case they lose 4 games again this year?

Does les miles not have any class or are bama fans too sensitive?

SacFalcFan — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 21:57:48 GMT

The bama fans are quite irate, but Les continues to do a spurrier, throw verbal jabs at another team (spurrier does it to everyone. I love his whining after uga's 18 to 0 win in columbia 2 years ago).

Les comments:

"There was no question the attendees still bask in last November's victory over former LSU head coach and Tide boss Nick Saban, and Miles brought down the house when he urged the faithful "not to make too much of that game as it seems like a lot of teams in Louisiana beat that team," referencing Alabama's shocking subsequent loss to Louisiana-Monroe."

Countdown to Signing Day 2009. It starts again.

SacFalcFan — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:16:23 GMT

Another year another thread. I can't wait til next year's signing day.

National Billing: Armwood vs. Plant will be on ESPNU.. Aaron Murray's Team on ESPNU.

SacFalcFan — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 22:42:19 GMT

his year's football season opener between Armwood and Plant has long been billed as the game of the year in Hillsborough County, but now the whole country will be able to watch.

The Sept. 5 game between the two Class 4A state contenders at Plant's Dads Stadium will be broadcast nationally on ESPNU at 8 p.m., ESPN programming Armwoodhelmet_2Tampaplanthelmet_2associate Chris Butler confirmed to the Times Wednesday afternoon.

ESPNU, a part of the ESPN family of networks, recently estimated that it broadcasts to 20 million national subscribers.

"It's not going to change the way we play," Plant coach Robert Weiner said. "But when the lights are a little brighter it's a little more fun."

It's not the first time Armwood will play on ESPNU. Two years ago, Armwood hosted Jefferson to an estimated audience of about 7 million homes, beating the Dragons 13-6.

"It's just some positive visibility for us," Armwood coach Sean Callahan said. "We're excited about playing Plant and we're excited about playing on a national stage. We see ourselves playing on television more often in the future and hopefully being able to play some out-of-state competition."

The schools have become regular season and postseason rivals in recent years. Plant beat Armwood 38-20 two years ago en route to the Class 4A state championship and the Hawks, who won back-to-back state titles in 2003 and 2004, defeated the Panthers 36-7 last season to get to state semis. Both schools are poised for title runs. MaxPreps.com's preseason poll ranks Armwood No. 1 in the state -- and 14th nationally -- and Plant sixth in Florida.

"Most of all it's great for Hillsborough County," Weiner said. "You just don't get this kind of national exposure often. It goes to show how good high school football in the county has become. The biggest problem with football in the county is that we have to go through each other to get far in the playoffs."

-- EDUARDO A. ENCINA

How do you rate a schedule for toughness?

Demetrius Dew — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:07:02 GMT

Not how any sports magazines rates it how do you personally rate a college football schedule for toughness?

Based off of what a team did last year or returning starters?

Based off Pre-season predictions?

ESPN Helmet Poll 16 Team

Demetrius Dew — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:48:53 GMT

Today is UGA Helmet vs Miami Helmet

UGA is winning right now.

[url=http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/fp/flashPollResultsState?sportIndex=ncf&pollId=57617]ESPN Poll Results[/url]

Great update on Elite 11 and Aaron Murray and Zach..

SacFalcFan — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:54:28 GMT

This from an fsu insider covering the camp BTW.

I've been talking with a lot of the guys at the Elite 11 since the event started, whether that be coaches, evaluaters, and such. The one constant I've been given so far is that Murray is absolutely tearing it up at the Elite 11. In fact at least four coaches, and two other experts at the event have let me know that in their opinion Aaron Murray is the best quarterback prospect there. The coaches were stunned how hard Murray throws, but in addition how accurate his passes are. They mentioned his technique is nearly perfect, with a few tweaks here and there but that out of any quarterback they feel Murray has the best chance of being college ready. I have some other notes about the other Florida guy but I just thought I would pass that along for you guys since I figured you would want to hear that.

Pay-per-tailgate now for bama fans.. I guess money is tight for bama.

SacFalcFan — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 22:37:25 GMT

UA to require more reservations
By Adam Jones Staff Writer
Published: Monday, July 21, 2008 at 3:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, July 20, 2008 at 11:26 p.m.
TUSCALOOSA | This fall, more University of Alabama football fans are likely to have to open up their wallets before they even leave home.

More areas of campus will require payment before fans can park or tailgate there.

Aside from those changes, little else will change for football game days in 2008, said Gene Hallman, head of the Bruno Event Team out of Birmingham hired to manage UA events.

'The headline is that in the three years that Bruno Event Team has been involved, this year will consist of the fewest number of changes,' he said. 'Much of the work done the first two years has been fine-tuned and tweaked for this year, and we feel like we have a very solid plan to make game day as enjoyable as possible.'

But much of the buzz from fans is focused on the pay-per-tailgate plan on the Quad. This fall, about 20 percent of the space allotted for tailgating on the Quad will be reserved, something Hallman said is similar to the concept UA adopted for RVs in 2007.

Last year, Hallman's firm and the university required a $500 reservation for all RV spaces, on a first-come, first-served basis, a move that he said ensured fans always got the spot they wanted next to who they wanted without having to jockey for space. To have that benefit, payment was needed to ensure that fans showed up, he said. In 2006, Hallman's company attempted a method that would reserve RV spots for free, but about a third of RVs were no-shows for each game.

That put his staff in the awkward position of having to defend free parking spots from other RVs that needed parking, he said. Charging fees makes it more likely the RV drivers will show up to claim the space, he said.

As for the Quad, Hallman said his company is working incrementally, waiting to gauge the fan response. So far, it's been positive, he said. On Thursday, 92 out of 115 spots were sold, and he expected the balance to sell out this week.

'This is just an experiment to see how it goes, and if we get a favorable response, like we have, then we'll evaluate what the future may be for the Quad,' he said.

In 2007, 22 reserved spaces lined the grass between Denny Chimes and Gorgas Library. This season, 115 spots will be staked out by Hallman's company. Of those, 67 will be in the southeast corner, 26 in the open grass area on the western side and there will be 22 in the same area as they were in 2007.

'These reserved spots are in spots that have traditional filled up last on the Quad, so we are not trying to disrupt people who have had spots for years on the Quad,' Hallman said.

The cost for each space is $729 and comes with a tent, electricity and a parking spot near the engineering buildings.

Other than those spaces for the Quad tailgaters, other fans will also lose free parking spots in the parking lot between Moody Music Building and the Million Dollar Band's drill field. That lot will now be reserved for Tide Pride donors and members of the marching band. Parking along with grass around the lot will be eliminated under the new parking plan.

Parking will also be cut from the grass areas around Russell, Farrah and Gallalee halls because of recent landscaping work, although, like the Quad, tailgating is allowed without vehicles.

A glance over the game-day map published by the Bruno Event Team shows that reservations are needed for most parking spaces, with the largest exception being the lot beside the biology building. All reserved spaces not taken by residential students, Tide Pride members or people with disabilities will cost $10.

Hallman understands that for some fans, their traditional game day plans will be disrupted, but with more students, more construction and more fans coming to football games — about 125,000 attended one game in 2007 — a plan is needed to manage the crowd, and initiatives to meet demand for such things as more restroom trailers around campus, parking attendants, event staff and electricity for tailgaters take money.

'With the increase in the number of students living on campus in the last few years and the university's efforts to move toward a more pedestrian-friendly campus, in keeping with the campus master plan, parking on campus requires a different approach than in the past,' said Cathy Andreen, UA spokeswoman. 'That's true both on game days and everyday.'

Charging for parking also offsets the cost of running the Crimson Ride buses to ferry fans around campus, she said.

'These initiatives are not profit initiatives because there are no profits to be had,' Hallman said.

In 2007, the lots on the eastern side of campus pulled in about $178,000 and the non-Tide Pride RV lots brought in close to $124,000, according to UA data.

Hallman's company is essential to planning game days, Andreen said. For their services, which includes other sports and events throughout the year, the company is paid $25,000 monthly. She maintains that that has been a good relationship, she said.

'Bruno Event Planning provides leadership in the overall logistical planning for game day, including a comprehensive approach to traffic and parking,' Andreen said. 'As a result, game days are a safer, better organized, more enjoyable experience.'

Andreen said it takes fans half the time to leave campus after a game than before UA hired Hallman's firm before the 2006 season.

Hallman said getting all local and state law enforcement agencies to coordinate their efforts with his firm's overall traffic flow pattern has been the biggest success of all the changes.

[url]http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20080721/NEWS/971390430&tc=email_newsletter[/url]

How many freshman should Dogs play?

SacFalcFan — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 12:06:40 GMT

How many freshman should Dogs play?

By Chip Towers | Tuesday, July 22, 2008, 09:40 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

In about 10 days, Georgia’s players will officially report to Athens for preseason practices (I don’t call it fall camp like a lot of the coaches because it will be 100 degrees and there are no tents or sleeping bags or even bunks). By all indications, all but two of the 23 signees will be present and accounted for.

Toby Jackson, a terrific defensive line talent out of Griffin, wasn’t able to meet academic entrance requirements. He’ll attend Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia and enroll at Georgia for the winter semester if he’s able to raise his test scores. RB/DB Xavier Avery was drafted and decided to embark on a pro baseball career.

As for the other 21, it will be interesting to see how many actually take the field for the Bulldogs this fall. Georgia has a lot of talent returning among its lettermen and it redshirted a lot of last year’s freshmen. The Dogs signed 23 players last year, too, but four of them were JUCO transfers. Out of the 19 freshmen, 14 were redshirted. The five that played were OL Clint Boling, DB Vance Cuff, LB Rennie Curran, TE Bruce Figgins and OL Trinton Sturdivant. Only the decision on Cuff, who was limited to special teams play, could be questioned.

Which brings us to this year’s newbies. How many of these guys do you think will contribute this season?

There are a few certainties. OL Ben Jones, PK Blair Walsh and WR A.J. Green are pretty much sure things and you get the idea WR Tavarres King will also get some looks. But some others may be tough calls. I’d put running backs Richard Samuel, Carlton Thomas and Dontavius Jackson in that category along with maybe Statesboro DL DeAngelo Tyson.

It’s always a tough call but my experience has been that Richt and his staff usually play about a half-dozen frosh every season. But, like I said, they may need even fewer this year. Your thoughts?

Jeez, two more UCLA players not playing vs. Tennessee

jdu00743 — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 08:38:00 GMT

Back-up RB Christian Ramirez will miss the whole year and starting SS Bret Lockett is suspended for the first game due to "breaking team rules".

Off the top of my head, since spring practice, I think they have lost their starting QB, 2 starting OL, and these two players for the Tennessee game.

I need to check to be sure.

PM me if you are interested in playing Fantasy Football for the College Sports Forum..

SacFalcFan — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:33:24 GMT

:D

It's a Yahoo league.

SEC football stadiums

LawDawg — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:23:19 GMT

Found this when I was brousing.

http://www.secfootball.itgo.com/secfootballstadiums.html

Bobby Petrino interview

lee337 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 23:23:33 GMT

He was asked what he will miss the most about the NFL.

Answer: "Not a thing"

I hope Arkansas loses every single game.

http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?categoryId=2564308&brand=null&videoId=3500848&n8pe6c=2

Who will be at the head of the 2009 QB class?

SacFalcFan — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:23:00 GMT

[url]http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/recruiting/football/columns/story?columnist=luginbill_tom&id=3498315[/url]

BEAVERTON, Ore. -- There have been Nike camps and combines, Under Armour combines, Elite 11 camps and the Steve Clarkson QB Academy, at which hundreds of the country's top quarterbacks (including underclassman) have showcased their skills and competed against one another. But not one time has there been an event at which QB Matt Barkley (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei) and QB Aaron Murray (Tampa, Fla./Plant), arguably two of the best in the nation, have met head-to-head.

This past weekend at the Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Ore., the two signal-callers squared off with their respective teams at the first ever Nike 7ON national tournament, pitting eight 7-on-7 teams from around the country against each other.

While we are inching closer to the release of our first edition of the 2009 ESPN 150 on Aug. 5, and having seen both Barkley and Murray extensively on tape (highlights and games) and in person several times, I can honestly say it may be a battle down to the wire in February as far as who the best QBs truly are in the 2009 class. Richard Brehaut (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Los Osos), Garrett Gilbert (Austin, Texas/Lake Travis), Josh Nunes (Upland, Calif.) and Tom Savage (Philadelphia/Cardinal O'Hara) -- just to name a few -- have also dazzled with their performances both last fall and in the spring. Also, depending on what LSU decides to do with Russell Shepard, he is likely the best athlete of them all. These players, among others, are all pushing for top-five status.

Having studied Barkley and Murray over the past two days and taken into account several factors, below you will find our in-depth analysis and comparison of these two quarterbacks.

Tale of the Tape

Barkley: He's a legitimate 6-foot-3 but not quite 6-4.Well-built and powerful, Barkley is built like a linebacker with both a strong upper and lower body. He possesses a chiseled arm, chest and shoulder area. He looks taller from further away because of his build, but once you stand right next to him, he is appropriately listed at 6-3 and probably weighs in at about 225 to 230 (exact weights not available). He also has long arms and is a flexible athlete.

Murray: I used to like to say I was 6-1 when I was playing, but the reality is that I was more like a smidgen over 6-0 -- and so is Aaron Murray. Like Barkley, Murray appears taller from afar than he does up close. Also like Barkley, Murray is stacked with very little body fat, skinny ankles (generally a sign of athleticism) and a well-toned, athletic look.

He and Barkley are actually built very similarly; Murray is just on a shorter frame. He is a little more tight-skinned and probably weighs in the 200-pound range, give or take a pound or two.

Scouts Edge: Barkley, if you are talking about a pro-style scheme, because of his height and the ability to see the field more clearly. In the shotgun or spread, Murray's size is fine.

Supporting Cast

Barkley: While he plays in more of a balanced, pro-style attack that features a fine running game and a solid dose of play-action, his tools as a passer will have to overcome the lack of playmakers he has around him if balance isn't maintained and his team is forced to throw the ball all night long. If Mater Dei gets behind against a team with speed and good athletes on defense, Barkley is going to be asked to make a ton of plays and throws into tight spaces because he does not have the luxury of great skill personnel around him that can separate and create mismatches against elite opponents. He clearly showed he is capable of making those types of throws this past weekend.

Murray: He has personnel around him that can cause problems for defenses and his scheme is far more tailored to getting those guys the ball in space. He has bigger windows to fit the ball into than Barkley does just due to the speed and quickness of his receivers and tight ends that can create space. This gives you an idea of how difficult some of the throws Barkley made over the weekend really were. Murray made the same types of throws too, he just had more playmakers to create matchups.

Scouts Edge: Murray. He has more help, giving him the ability to take more risks with the ball -- we'll get to that later.

Delivery

Barkley: Smooth, fluid and over the top is the best way to describe his release. He is very consistent on every throw in terms of how the ball gets out. Barkley can beat the rush with his arm not only with strength but because of fundamentally-sound footwork and knowledge of where he is going with the football.

Murray: It is lightning quick and explosive. The ball jumps out of his hand with pop and wrist snap. He has the release that every coach in America covets.

Scouts Edge: Murray. You can't coach what he can do with his delivery quickness.

Mechanics

Barkley: Could be the most fundamentally sound quarterback in each of the last four classes -- and that is saying a lot. From head to toe, he is well groomed and polished. He's balanced, he transfers his weight, his feet are underneath him and he can reset with the best of them. His mechanics from the ground up are what make him what he is, more so than size or arm strength.

Murray: This is the area where Murray needs the most work. His carriage of the ball in the pocket depending on where he is in his progression starts out sound and consistent, but the longer he holds onto the ball, he extends the ball out and away from his frame and down near his waist and will also "pat" the ball if he is looking or waiting for someone to get open.

There are three chief concerns. One, as he exposes the ball away from his body and takes his off hand away, he is very susceptible to getting it stripped and putting the ball on the ground. Two, this makes his delivery longer and unnecessarily a bit slower because he is bringing the ball from further away to get rid of it. Three, his delivery point is lower, which does not help his below-average height and leads to batted balls.

Scouts Edge: Barkley.

Footwork

Barkley: Given his size, he has very good feet. Drop speed and depth away from center is consistent and under control. Obviously he is not a scrambler or runner, so his feet are more about subtle movements around the pocket with just enough quickness to avoid, reset and deliver.

Murray: This is one of Murray's best attributes. Drop speed and initial quickness within the pocket is outstanding. He can move, get out of trouble and is far more of a dual threat than some might think. His feet along with his release are what give him his "gunslinger" style.

Scouts Edge: Murray.

Accuracy

Barkley: He has superb accuracy and has to for the reasons given above in regards to personnel. He can throw darts into small windows and his feet and mechanics provide for consistent accuracy on throws all over the field. He has a knack for pinpointing throws where his guy can catch the football.

Murray:When he is on time, he is far more accurate because his mechanics are sharper and consistent, but when he is working to his third progression and the delivery mechanics start to stray, he can have a tendency to spray the ball around a little bit. Overall he's an accurate passer, especially on the deep ball, which is difficult.

Scouts Edge: Barkley. This will even out once Murray's mechanics become cleaned up.

Arm Strength

Barkley: He possesses excellent, but maybe not elite arm strength. It is far better than Jimmy Clausen, whose arm strength was overrated, but not in the class of Matthew Stafford at Georgia or Zach Mettenberger (Watkinsville, Ga./Oconee County) in the 2009 class. I'll make this comparison: He has Peyton Manning-type arm strength in relation to his former draft-mate Ryan Leaf, who has exceptional arm strength. Barkley can do something very difficult with his arm though -- he can make all the throws with power and speed, yet there is a softness to each one of his passes no matter how much mustard he puts on the ball, making them very easy to catch.

Murray: Murray may have a slight edge here due to natural wrist velocity. He has excellent arm strength and premier RPMs. His delivery quickness gives a little more of an appearance of explosiveness in his arm. He needs to learn some touch on certain throws; he can be one speed, all the time.

Scouts Edge: Murray. Both guys can make every throw on the field even the tough, tight ones.

Decision making/Aptitude

Barkley: There is no doubt Barkley has been well-schooled and has a very good feel for where he is going with the ball pre-snap and has consistently shown the ability to work through progressions with timing and anticipation. He knows where everyone is on the field, he knows how coverages work and dictate which throws to make and when and he has made big decisions in big games. His work ethic and ability to absorb and apply what he has learned and seen give him an edge over most quarterbacks at this stage.

Murray: I mentioned taking risks with the ball when it comes to Murray and his style of play. His confidence and gunslinging mentality can lead to him getting a bit greedy and attempting to do some things that maybe he shouldn't. This is the swagger and style that makes him who he is, much like Brett Favre or Tony Romo. However he is so talented he will often times get away with it. It is obvious he has studied this game and understands what his offense is trying to accomplish.

Scouts Edge: Slight edge to Barkley; this is essentially a toss up.

Final Analysis

Take your pick. As a fan or coach of the game, you can't miss with either of these two, but also understand they are two entirely different quarterbacks in terms of their methods and style. So depending on the scheme, some coaches may like Barkley better and some may feel Murray is better and has more upside.

We hope this has given you, the fan, a better feel for both players' ability level and what they bring to the table in terms of strengths and weaknesses. Regardless, it looks like both USC and Georgia won't be hurting for quarterbacks for a while.

Tom Luginbill is the National Recruiting Director for ESPN's Scouts Inc.

Mark May says Crompton will be "one of the better QB's in the nation" on CF Live

jdu00743 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:53:45 GMT

We will see.:D

A sign you play too much ncaa 2009.. A gator fan predicting the season using ncaa 2009..

SacFalcFan — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:58:18 GMT

MCUFGators1

Vol Fan I totally disagree with you... Urban Meyer will be 4-0. lol! Not totally it will be a great game against the Vols. I believe it could be another OT game. But I don't see Florida winning by more then 7.

I believe Florida will beat Tennessee 31-27. Vols will lead most of the game just like in 06 but Florida will come back and win. As for Georgia vs Tennessee, I like Georgia 30-13.

NCAA Football 09
FLORIDA Sim National Champion 14-0
Hawaii 55-14
Miami 37-26
at Tennessee 34-28 ot
Ole Miss 31-20
at Arkansas 48-27
LSU 45-35
Kentucky 51-17
Georgia@ 37-21
at Vanderbilt 42-24
South Carolina 38-37
Northeast 77-10
at FSU 41-26
SEC Championship
FLORIDA 33 Auburn 14

BCS Championship
FLORIDA 46 Missouri 35

I simmed it 3 times and everytime Florida won the 2008 National Championship.
Georgia all 3 times lost 3 games to South Carolina, Florida, Auburn.

Only one time did Florida lose a game to Tennessee 35-34.

I'm not the only one everytime my friend Shawn simmed it, it was Florida ten out of ten. Maybe the game is trying to tell the idiots at EA who went by the Lindy rankings instead of the Athlon rankings. Florida should have been #1.

:hehe::hehe::hehe::hehe:

Jeff Owens believes UGA defensive front 'special'.

SacFalcFan — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:17:33 GMT

Owens believes UGA defensive front 'special'

By CHIP TOWERS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 07/21/08

Georgia defensive tackle Jeff Owens seems to be as wide as he is tall. But at 6-foot-3, 300 pounds, Owens insists his size isn't the secret to his success. "Size is overrated in football," he said recently. "It's quickness, technique and fundamentals. That's what wins the battles up front."

Owens has won a lot of them for the Bulldogs.

He enters his senior season having played in every game of his career, including starting the last 24. Owens sat down last week for a conversation with staff writer Chip Towers.

Q: How does it feel heading into your senior season?

A: It seems like one day I just woke up and now I'm a senior. I still remember when I was coming in my freshman summer. That was an adjustment. Now I know the system inside and out. It's been a ride and I've enjoyed every minute of it.

Q: What goes through your mind when you see these new freshmen coming in?

A: They're like a fish out of water right now. It's going to take time for them to adjust. They haven't experienced camp yet; they haven't experienced the coaches; they haven't experienced games. Summer workouts compared to training camp compared to the season, they're all totally different. They haven't seen anything yet.

Q: Some have said this defensive line has a chance to be special from the standpoint of talent and experience. You've played on some good ones the last three years. How does this group stack up?

A: We know we're special. It all starts up front; that's what Coach [Rodney] Garner is always preaching to us. If we don't get it done, the back end doesn't get it done. If we don't get pressure on the quarterback and stop the run the linebackers and the DBs cannot make plays.

The reason I think we're special is we're deep, we've got guys that can play and we compete. Geno Atkins, Corvey Irvin, Kade Weston, me, Ricardo [Crawford], Brandon [Wood], we're all competing for starting jobs but we're all excited just to be out there, too. We pull for each other. That's what I love about this D-line. We're tight. We're not selfish. We work hard, we train together, we live together, we're close.

Q: You and Geno have been nominated for preseason awards, so clearly a lot is expected. Is there anyone who might surprise folks?

A: Corvey Irvin. Write that name down. He is going to be an impact player on this defense. I know it. He's getting stronger. He's already fast. He's quick. He's a good pass rusher and he can stop the run. He can do it all. I'm telling you, people are sleeping on our defensive line. People think we just have a starting two but our rotation is going to be crazy this year. We're going to have so many guys in there, we're going to be so fresh, we're going to dominate.

Q: You separated your right shoulder in spring practice. That's a tough injury for an interior lineman. How is it now?

A: My shoulder's doing real well, great actually. Today I [benched] 455 [pounds] for two reps. I maxed out at 535 two years ago. I haven't tried to max since but 455 twice is pretty good. The shoulder feels fine. It's not going to problem.

Tournament MVP Aaron Murray >>>> Barkley.. Team from Tampa wins Nike 7 on 7 tourney.

SacFalcFan — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 20:07:37 GMT

Tampa team wins Nike 7ON title

By Mark Tennis
ESPN RISE
(Archive)

Updated: July 19, 2008

* Comment
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After winning in a much-anticipated semifinal that featured two of the top-ranked high school quarterbacks in the nation, Team Super Speed from Tampa, Fla., struggled in the first half of the championship game of the Nike 7ON national tournament against Team Merciless of Atlanta. But two second-half touchdown passes from tourney MVP Aaron Murray lifted Super Speed to a 30-14 victory over Team Merciless as the winners rallied from a 14-7 deficit.

"What most impressed me with you guys over the last two days was just our toughness," Super Speed coach Robert Weiner told his team after its stopped celebrating on the field at the Nike campus in Beaverton, Ore., for just a few moments. "Every moment when we faced a tough challenge, we were ready to answer."

Murray, who said he had never before had a streak of completions in a 7-on-7 contest like the 20 in a row he had in the semifinal win over Team Field Generals, said it was the entire Super Speed roster that contributed to the title.

"We just left everything on the field," he said after the championship game. "Our defense stepped up in the second half and the offense got going. It was unbelievable to win this title because there were so many great teams in it."

Murray, who hopes to lead his high school team at Plant High of Tampa this upcoming season to its second Class 4A state title in Florida in the last three years, completed 21 of 32 passes for 356 yards and four touchdowns in the finale. Senior Orson Charles caught the go-ahead TD pass in the second half and led Super Speed with seven catches for 108 yards and two scores. Teammate Nathan Marvel also had two TD grabs and finished with three catches for 75 yards.

Team Merciless, which was comprised of players from Henry County High, a school of just over 800 students, completed an impressive runner-up finish. The Georgians were led in the final by senior Drew Little, who connected on 16 of 29 passes for 229 yards and two TDs. The top overall player for Team Merciless in the final, though, probably was senior Jamal Patterson. He came up with an interception on defense and had eight catches for 127 yards and one score.

NIKE 7ON All-Tournament Team

Offense:QB Matt Barkley - Field Generals (Santa Ana, Calif.); RB Quan Jones - Team Merciless (Atlanta); WR Greg Timmons - Strike Force (Houston); WR Orson Charles - Super Speed (Tampa, Fla.); WR Corey Brown - Super Bad (Monroeville, Pa.); WR Markeith Ambles - Team Merciless (Atlanta); WR Nathan Marvel - Super Speed (Tampa, Fla.)

Defense: LB Dorian Bell - Super Bad (Monroeville, Pa.); LB Mike Mirabella - Super Speed (Tampa, Fla.); DB Terry Hawthorne - Vapor Jets (East St. Louis, Ill.); DB Darius Williams-Fox - Speed TDs (Long Beach, Calif.); DB Javonte Martin - Super Speed (Tampa, Fla.); DB Justin Bright - Zoom Blade (Duncan, S.C.); DB Jamal Patterson - Team Merciless (Atlanta, Ga.)

Vols lineman Jacques McClendon sets new UT bench press record

featherz17 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:38:50 GMT

Link

Vols lineman sets record with 645-pound lift

By BRYAN MULLEN • Staff Writer • July 17, 2008

“That’s hard to roll when it’s on the ground,” Long said. “Six-hundred pounds is hard to push. To see Jacques with those numbers is really impressive at such a young age. Now comes the time to be smart and manage him. My stress in my weight room is we’re never going to sacrifice weight over technique.”

Long said McClendon (6-3, 320) is obviously strong, but there have been flexibility issues in the past. Long is helping limber up the junior by using yoga, which the pair partake in three times a week.

“He didn’t like it much at first, but he’s bought into it and has seen that flexibility was what he really needed,” Long said.

Other Vols developing: McClendon wasn’t the only player Long has been impressed with during the offseason. He said All-SEC safety Eric Berry has added 10 to 15 pounds of lean muscle mass. Long also pointed out improvements by defensive end Robert Ayers and defensive tackle Donald Langley.

Long and UT’s training staff have been stressing certain workouts to specifically reduce knee and shoulder injuries during practices and games.

“We did a lot of knee stability exercises and legwork this year,” Long said. “It’s a physical (sport) and someone is going to be thrown to the ground and their shoulder is going to go out. Those are things you can’t prevent. But hopefully you can prevent some of them.”

[img]http://cmsimg.tennessean.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=DN&Date=20080717&Category=SPORTS0601&ArtNo=80716140&Ref=AR&Profile=1035&MaxW=180&Border=0[/img]

SEC Coaches Pre-Season All-SEC Teams

jdu00743 — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:16:01 GMT

[url=http://www.ncaafootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=34&url_article_id=12378&change_well_id=2]http://www.ncaafootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=34&url_article_id=12378&change_well_id=2[/url]

2008 SEC COACHES PRE-SEASON ALL-SEC FOOTBALL TEAM

(#-Ties / *-Unanimous Selection) (Coaches could not vote for themselves or their own players)

FIRST-TEAM ALL-SEC -- OFFENSE

Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Class Hometown

TE Cornelius Ingram Florida 6-4 223 Sr. Hawthorne, Fla.

OL *Andre Smith Alabama 6-5 340 Jr. Birmingham, Ala.

OL *Michael Oher Ole Miss 6-5 318 Sr. Memphis, Tenn.

OL *Anthony Parker Tennessee 6-3 305 Sr. Jonesboro, Ga.

OL Herman Johnson LSU 6-7 351 Sr. Olla, La.

C *Jonathan Luigs Arkansas 6-4 314 Sr. Little Rock, Ark.

WR Percy Harvin Florida 5-11 178 Jr. Virginia Beach, Va.

WR Kenny McKinley South Carolina 6-0 182 Sr. Mableton, Ga.

QB Tim Tebow Florida 6-3 232 Jr. Jacksonville, Fla.

RB *Knowshon Moreno Georgia 5-11 207 So. Belford, N.J.

RB Arian Foster Tennessee 6-1 215 Sr. San Diego, Calif.

SECOND-TEAM ALL-SEC -- OFFENSE

Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Class Hometown

TE Richard Dickson LSU 6-3 237 Jr. Ocean Springs, Miss.

OL Ciron Black LSU 6-5 314 Jr. Tyler, Texas

OL Tyronne Green Auburn 6-2 307 Sr. Pensacola, Fla.

OL #Ramon Foster Tennessee 6-6 325 Sr. Henning, Tenn.

OL #Lee Ziemba Auburn 6-8 288 So. Rogers, Ark.

OL #Mitch Petrus Arkansas 6-4 305 Sr. Carlisle, Ark.

OL #Garry Williams Kentucky 6-3 300 Sr. Louisville, Ky.

C #Antoine Caldwell Alabama 6-3 292 Sr. Montgomery, Ala.

C #Brett Helms LSU 6-2 283 Sr. Stuttgart, Ark.

WR Demetrius Byrd LSU 6-2 195 Sr. Miami, Fla.

WR Mohamed Massaquoi Georgia 6-2 198 Sr. Charlotte, N.C.

QB Matthew Stafford Georgia 6-3 237 Jr. Dallas, Texas

RB Anthony Dixon Mississippi State 6-1 240 Jr. Jackson, Miss.

RB Ben Tate Auburn 5-11 215 Jr. Newark, Md.

THIRD-TEAM ALL-SEC -- OFFENSE

Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Class Hometown

TE Jared Cook South Carolina 6-5 242 Jr. Suwanee, Ga.

OL Phil Trautwein Florida 6-6 301 Sr. Voorhees, N.J.

OL Jim Tartt Florida 6-3 300 Sr. Sochoppy, Fla.

OL John Jerry Ole Miss 6-5 350 Jr. Batesville, Miss.

OL Anthony Strauder Mississippi State 6-3 290 Sr. Natchez, Miss.

C Josh McNeil Tennessee 6-4 280 Jr. Collins, Miss.

WR Lucas Taylor Tennessee 6-0 185 Sr. Carencro, La.

WR Brandon LaFell LSU 6-3 194 Jr. Houston, Texas

QB John Parker Wilson Alabama 6-2 213 Sr. Hoover, Ala.

RB Keiland Williams LSU 5-11 223 Jr. Lafayette, La.

RB Terry Grant Alabama 5-10 188 So. Lumberton, Miss.

FIRST-TEAM ALL-SEC -- DEFENSE

Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Class Hometown

DL *Greg Hardy Ole Miss 6-4 265 Jr. Millington, Tenn.

DL Sen’Derrick Marks Auburn 6-1 288 Jr. Mobile, Ala.

DL Tyson Jackson LSU 6-5 292 Sr. Edgard, La.

LB *Brandon Spikes Florida 6-3 245 Jr. Shelby, N.C.

LB Rico McCoy Tennessee 6-1 215 Jr. Washington, D.C.

LB Darry Beckwith LSU 6-1 232 Sr. Baton Rouge, La.

LB Dannell Ellerbe Georgia 6-1 232 Sr. Hamlet, N.C.

DB Eric Berry Tennessee 5-11 195 So. Fairburn, Ga.

DB Derek Pegues Mississippi State 5-10 196 Sr. Batesville, Miss.

DB #Rashad Johnson Alabama 6-0 187 Sr. Sulligent, Ala.

DB #Captain Munnerlyn South Carolina 5-9 185 Jr. Mobile, Ala.

DB #D.J. Moore Vanderbilt 5-10 182 Jr. Spartanburg, S.C.

SECOND-TEAM ALL-SEC -- DEFENSE

Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Class Hometown

DL Ricky Jean-Francois LSU 6-3 281 Jr. Miami, Fla.

DL Geno Atkins Georgia 6-1 290 Jr. Pembroke Pines, Fla.

DL #Jeremy Jarmon Kentucky 6-3 277 Jr. Collierville, Tenn.

DL #Peria Jerry Ole Miss 6-2 290 Sr. Batesville, Miss.

LB Jasper Brinkley South Carolina 6-2 275 Sr. Thomson, Ga.

LB Rolando McClain Alabama 6-4 255 So. Decatur, Ala.

LB Eric Norwood South Carolina 6-1 270 Jr. Acworth, Ga.

LB #Tray Blackmon Auburn 6-2 220 Jr. LaGrange, Ga.

LB #Jamar Chaney Mississippi State 6-1 236 Sr. Fort Pierce, Fla.

DB Emanuel Cook South Carolina 5-10 214 Jr. Riviera Beach, Fla.

DB Asher Allen Georgia 5-10 198 Jr. Tucker, Ga.

DB Trevard Lindley Kentucky 6-0 175 Jr. Hiram, Ga.

DB Jerraud Powers Auburn 5-9 188 Jr. Decatur, Ala.

THIRD-TEAM ALL-SEC -- DEFENSE

Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Class Hometown

DL Antonio Coleman Auburn 6-2 250 Jr. Mobile, Ala.

DL #Antwain Robinson Arkansas 6-2 258 Sr. Little Rock, Ark.

DL #Kirston Pittman LSU 6-4 254 Sr. Garyville, La.

DL #Jeff Owens Georgia 6-3 298 Sr. Sunrise, Fla.

LB Rennie Curran Georgia 5-11 220 So. Snellville, Ga.

LB Micah Johnson Kentucky 6-2 250 Jr. Ft. Campbell, Ky.

LB Braxton Kelley Kentucky 6-0 230 Sr. LaGrange, Ga.

DB #Reshard Langford Vanderbilt 6-2 208 Sr. Tanner, Ala.

DB #Chad Jones LSU 6-3 222 So. Baton Rouge, La.

DB #Major Wright Florida 6-0 194 So. Miramar, Fla.

DB #Joe Haden Florida 5-11 180 So. Ft. Washington, Md.

DB #Wondy Pierre-Louis Florida 6-0 182 Jr. Naples, Fla.

FIRST-TEAM ALL-SEC -- SPECIAL TEAMS

Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Class Hometown

PK Colt David LSU 5-9 175 Sr. Grapevine, Texas

P Ryan Shoemaker Auburn 6-0 192 So. Birmingham, Ala.

RS Brandon James Florida 5-6 179 Jr. St. Augustine, Fla.

SECOND-TEAM ALL-SEC -- SPECIAL TEAMS

Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Class Hometown

PK Ryan Succop South Carolina 6-3 224 Sr. Hickory, N.C.

P Ryan Succop South Carolina 6-3 224 Sr. Hickory, N.C.

RS Javier Arenas Alabama 5-9 193 Jr. Tampa, Fla.

THIRD-TEAM ALL-SEC -- SPECIAL TEAMS

Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Class Hometown

PK Leigh Tiffin Alabama 6-1 198 Jr. Muscle Shoals, Ala.

P Brian Mimbs Georgia 5-11 205 Sr. Dublin, Ga.

RS Trindon Holliday LSU 5-5 159 Jr. Zachary, La.

Elite 11 Updates..started today..

SacFalcFan — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 21:21:52 GMT

Here is the list of who is all there:

Tajh Boyd
Richard Brehaut
A.J. McCarron
Garrett Gilbert
Allan Bridgford
Aaron Murray
Zach Mettenberger
Eguene Smith
Tom Savage
Andrew Maxwell
Raymond Cotton
Bryn Renner

Tonight is the first workout for the Elite 11 which is held in Southern California. The collegiate counselors in attendance include Mark Sanchez, Curtis Painter, Colt McCoy, Matt Stafford and Bobby Reid.

2009 QB Class

Demetrius Dew — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 18:02:29 GMT

Kevin Newsome is the future of Michigan Football.

[url=http://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=829032]Rivals.com article[/url]

Kaltefleiter: Pining over Georgia's schedule pointless.

SacFalcFan — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 23:52:21 GMT

Asher Allen doesn't see what all the fuss is about when it comes to Georgia's schedule this season.

The Bulldogs junior cornerback wonders why the folks who closely follow his team are so worked up about the 12 regular-season games that stand between Georgia and a seat at the BCS title table.

Allen views the Bulldogs' upcoming regular-season opponents about like he saw the last 24 in his first two seasons at Georgia.

That each team, each week presents different challenges and that a schedule is only an issue if a team lets it become one.

He's right.

"Obviously, to the eye it seems like the schedule is really tough," Allen said Saturday before straining to sign hundreds of autographs for the 1,500-plus at the Countdown to Kickoff charity event at the Woodruff Practice Fields on the Georgia's campus.

"I'm not downplaying any of the names on our schedule or anything like that, but I think the schedule in the SEC is tough already and you never know what can happen."

Which is precisely the point. We, fans and media types alike, fall into this trap every offseason, specifically as the season inches closer and closer.

We try to peruse the schedule and find definite wins, possible losses and games that could go either way.

Truthfully, lying around clutching a can of SpaghettiO's and channel surfing is more productive.

The tendency to predict what will happen one week from the next during the offseason happens because the vast majority of us are convinced that we're as football savvy as the late Jimmy the Greek or Phil Steele.

In reality, most are as football smart as Phil Connors from Groundhog Day.

If you listen or read what the national media is saying about Georgia's schedule you'd think the Bulldogs were facing the '75 Steelers every other week.

Based on how things panned out last season, Georgia's slate does seem like the Charles Bronson of seasons. Here's the thing to remember - what took place last season if worth nearly as much as that penny wedged between the driver's seat and the console in your car.

LSU, the defending national champs, needs a quarterback worse than Nick Saban needs a exorcism. Florida still needs a secondary and Percy Harvin with two healthy wheels.

Steve Spurrier and South Carolina covets a quarterback and a rush defense that doesn't give up yards like Visa doles out credit cards. OK, Tennessee's a mystery, but five of its opponents will be off the week before they play the Volunteers. That includes Georgia.

And agonizing over how Georgia can survive a four-game stretch in October and November when it plays four straight away from Sanford Stadium is like wondering when ballooning gas prices will subside. After all, Mark Richt's record on opponents' turf is 25-4.

Bottom line? Georgia's schedule isn't as much of a factor as it appears at this point. Be it through superior talent or a splash of luck, a team destined for a national title finds ways to win, regardless of opponents or venues.

If Allen and company eventually fall into the category, they'll be talking about the final game, not the 12 or 13 that preceded it.

• John Kaltefleiter is the sports editor of the Banner-Herald. E-MAIL: john.kaltefleiter@onlineathens.com. PHONE: 706-208-2239

Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on 072008

[url]http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/072008/football_2008072000130.shtml[/url]

Herschel taking part in Petty motorcycle ride.

SacFalcFan — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:16:40 GMT

Herschel taking part in Petty motorcycle ride

By RICK MINTER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 07/18/08

There was a time when a band of motorcycle riders rolling into town would send the citizenry running for cover.

But when the 14th annual Chick-fil-A Kyle Petty Charity Ride made its way into downtown Atlanta on Friday, the 200 or so riders were greeted like celebrities.

Many of them were. The charity ride is a way for the famous and not-so-famous to combine their love of two-wheel travel with their desire to help the less fortunate. Money raised by the ride — more than $10.5 million has been collected over the history of the event — goes to children's hospitals across the country and to the Victory Junction Gang Camp for ill children that was founded by the Pettys.

Among the notables joining Petty and his family as they rolled into the World of Coca-Cola on Friday were University of Georgia football legend Herschel Walker, Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage, NASCAR driver Burney Lamar, Speed channel personality Rutledge Wood and Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy. Others who made a portion of the trip included Matt Kenseth, Richard Petty and Harry Gant from the NASCAR world and Davis Love III, who left the ride early to participate in the British Open.

"It's the best of two worlds," said Gossage, who has been on 13 of the 14 rides. "You get to ride a motorcycle and act like a clown and get to raise money for kids."

Funds come from donations by riders and sponsors.

Some riders, such as veteran motorsports journalist Al Pearce of Newport News, Va., point out that a week-long motorcycle journey can be grueling. But long two-wheel trips are nothing new for the man at the head of the pack.

This year, Petty's already put 20,000 miles on his new Harley-Davidson.

"I've ridden it to every race so far this year," he said. He and Kenseth rode together from Texas to Phoenix earlier this year, but for the most part Petty has ridden alone.

Perhaps one day, the world will find out more about those trips.

"I've been sort of halfway writing a book about the places I've been and the people I've talked to," he said. "It's been a lot of fun meeting people on the road."

At most stops, Petty greets fans and answered racing questions while Walker fields queries about football.

Walker said he believes his alma mater will be a contender for the national title in football this fall. "I believe they have a very good chance of winning it," he said. "They way they finished the year last year showed everyone that they're doing a good job."

Petty weighed in on the latest blockbuster news in NASCAR — word last week that Tony Stewart was leaving Joe Gibbs Racing to be both driver and co-owner of his team next year.

Petty, who has filled that dual role for years, said Stewart will do just fine, largely because he has owned several short-track race teams for years.

"Tony's owned a little bit of everything in his life, so this is not going to catch him off guard," Petty said, adding that Stewart has an advantage over other drivers such as Darrell Waltrip, who started race teams late in their careers.

"Tony's starting right in the middle of his career, where he's still a hot property and capable of winning races and championships," he said. "He can build the team at the top of the mountain, not the back side like some of these people tried to do."

The charity ride, which began Monday in Traverse City, Mich., has attracted fans at every stop, Petty said. Even basic fuel stops, such as one in Lawrenceville on Friday morning, turn into big events.

"There have been 150-200 people at every gas station," Petty said.

The ride left Atlanta and headed for an overnight stop in Peachtree City. The final leg of the trip will carry the group to Savannah today.

Petty said the charity ride continues to grow each year, in large part because it's never quite the same. Every year the event attracts different participants and takes a different route across the country. Even so, Petty is surprised at its longevity.

"It still blows me away that it's lasted this long," he said.