Significance of Signing Day

The Seminoles are number one.  Didn’t you hear?  Some guys who watch video of 17 and 18-year-old kids play high school football all day are telling us that FSU had the top recruiting class.  How about the Gators?  They’re in the Top 5.  Finally, what about Al Golden in his first UM class?  Well, he did a great job too, considering he took the job in December.  These are all things we’re being told today on the college football holiday known as “National Signing Day.”  Of course, all of this doesn’t mean a single thing, and history has proven that plenty of times.

While young men make the vital decision of where they’ll go to college, ESPN is devoting countless hours to covering press conferences, while blogs, twitter, etc. are overflowing with who committed and de-committed.  Quite frankly, it’s a bit overwhelming.  I’ve never been a fan of all the coverage, but it’s just the day and age we live in.  Meantime, these players now have to adjust to a new life, quality academically and then try to compete with players who are older and more developed than they are.  Sounds easy, huh?

It’s far from easy.  Ask any college player and they’ll tell you the romance ends the second signing day ends.  Anyone wonder how Jacory Harris feels now about the love and attention he got just a few years ago?  All of those phone calls from coaches and text messages from recruiting sites come to an end.  Now it’s time to really work.  Now it’s time to see who really develops into a top class.  Just 3 years ago, we were told by ESPN, the same network that does marathon coverage of the day, that the Canes had the top class in the country.  That also happens to be the class that never panned out and got Randy Shannon fired.  Granted, those players are now seniors and may vindicate themselves a bit under Golden’s regime, but you get the point.

Don’t get me wrong, signing day is important to the players and universities.  It is a time for everyone to get better.  That’s not a question.  Yet, with all the attention these players get, it’s easy to see why so many of them grow up to feel entitled.  I don’t blame them.  This is a storm created by the media and internet.  I look at signing day like I always have.  I congratulate the players and wish them the best.  It’s a tough decision, and it’s something that’ll help determine the rest of their lives.  Forget the hat switches, props and live press conferences.  Now is when I start paying attention.  Let’s see how they hit the books, hit the practice field and develop mentally and physically.  Then, in about 3 years, we’ll see who really had the top class.

Bowl Games for Florida Schools…

All the D-1 state schools will play in a bowl game, except FAU:

Miami-Notre Dame in Sun Bowl

FIU-Toledo in Little Ceasars Bowl

Florida-Penn State in Outback Bowl

FSU-South Carolina in Chick-Fila Bowl

UCF-Georgia in Liberty Bowl

USF-Clemson in Meineke Car Care Bowl

Tebow = NFL Quarterback?

While most “so-called” experts will agree that Tim Tebow is one of the greatest college football players of all time, it’s a whole different story when it comes to his NFL future.  Not just whether he can be a star in the league, but whether he can be a starting quarterback.  I understand why some people are skeptical, but I’m in the school of thought that he will be successful.

Tebow knows he will have a lot of doubters.  That’s why he has elected to take part in the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.  He will spend the week working in front of NFL coaches and scouts at the QB position.  That’s when he’ll have a chance to showcase his skills.  By the way, he’ll be coached  by Tony Sparano and the rest of the Dolphins staff.  They’ll lead the South team in Mobile.   I know that Tebow is not the perfect quarterback.  He has some issues with his mechanics, and his arm strength is a bit questionable.  That said, one thing that is not questionable is his talent and desire.  Tebow knows how to play the game, and I believe he can be coached into being a better all around QB.  Remember, the Dolphins drafted Pat White as a quarterback, so I think plenty of NFL teams out there will see Tebow as the same.   I think he’ll be a versatile player early in his career, and eventually, he can develop into a quality starting QB.

The doubters will be there, but I have a tough time doubting Tebow.  He was a winner throughout college, and love him or hate him, it’s hard to deny he has skills.  He also has a big chip on his shoulders.  Tebow may not say it, but he knows he has a lot to prove.  I says he proves them wrong.

Canes Say “Swagger” Back

I made a stop at the annual CanesFest on Saturday over at Land Shark Stadium.  It was a fun day with the family and a good chance to meet and greet Miami fans.  Most of those fans said they believe this year will be different for the Canes.  They talked about the “U” being back!  I have to admit, I’m more excited about this team than I’ve been about the Canes teams of the last few years.  Randy Shannon has put the top recruits in place and most of them have gotten some valuable game experience.   The players also believe this is the year to return to prominence, and they feel they have the “swagger” back.

That leads me to the question I posed on Sunday while hosting a radio show on WQAM.  What in the heck is swagger?  Being a Miami alum, I’ve heard that word for years, and honestly, I loved using the word when the Canes were a good team.  But isn’t swagger only reserved for teams that are winning?   Shannon says swagger is having fun.  Receiver Laron Byrd told me swagger is having confidence,  but not having a big head or ego.  Realistically, it’s a combination of both.  Still, I don’t buy the whole swagger thing, because too many times swagger is perceived as something negative.   Many people think it’s taunting an opponent or chest bumping and dancing on the field after a simple play.  I’m all for having fun, but you have to draw the line somewhere, and I get the feeling this year’s Miami players know where that line is.

Byrd made it clear that he and his teammates have swagger but not ego.  They believe they have as much talent as anyone in the country, and they’re ready to prove it with actions and not words.  I find it funny because you can say that every good team has swagger.  The Gators have won 2 national titles in the last few years.  USC is a consistent championship contender.  Do those teams have swagger?  Of course they do.  To me, swagger = winning.   Losing teams with swagger are just a bunch of cocky kids.  The Canes feel they’re ready to be winners again.  If that’s the case, then bring back the swagger!

Monday Tidbits…

I’ve been away from the blog for a few days, but I’m back with some things on my mind over the last week.  I’ll talk more in-depth about a few of these topics later in the week:

Tim Tebow:  The Gators QB decides to stay in college, and I think he made the right decision.   We could debate all day whether he’d make a good NFL quarterback, but I know this, he is a GREAT college QB.  Plus, wouldn’t you want a chance at history?  3 National titles and 2 Heisman trophies would cement him as the greatest college player ever.  His coach Urban Meyer already believes that.

NFL Playoffs: It’s all about parity in the NFL.  Just ask the Titans, Giants and Panthers.  All 3 were Super Bowl favorites and all 3 are home for the long offseason.  Meantime, the Cardinals and Eagles, both left for dead 5 weeks ago, are now in the NFC Championship game, while the Ravens will battle the Steelers in the AFC title game.   For years, if you earned a bye week as a top seed, you were probably going to the Super Bowl.  Those days are long gone.  The Steelers won as a Wild Card a few years back, and how can we forget last year’s Giants.  This year, we could see 2 teams in the Super Bowl that had to go on the road all 3 games.  Amazing!

Pedro as a Marlin?: I’ll actually blog more about this later in the week, but this would make no sense to me.  The Marlins have plenty of young arms, and the last thing they need is a 37 year old former ace, who is now lucky to throw 85 miles per hour.   His fastball isn’t even the problem, because he still locates well, instead it’s the injuries.  He can’t stay healthy.  Do you want a 5 inning pitcher every 5th day who will eventually break down?  No thanks.  Pass.

Post-football blues:  While I cover the Dolphins, I grew up a Giants fan and still cheer for them.   That’s why this Monday morning it was a little bizarre not to have another Giants game to look forward to.  This is the same thing Dol-Fans felt last weekend after the Fins lost to Baltimore.  The NFL season is so much fun to follow, and when you’re team is eliminated, reality sets in.  Man, it can be hard to take.   Just 3 months until the draft and another 7 months until the new season!  Just keep telling yourself that.   I think it may help.  Or maybe not.

Dwyane Wade is good:  This is not exactly breaking news, but with the football season winding down, take a moment to watch a Heat game one of these days.  You’ll watch the best player in the NBA right now.  Yes, I know Lebron and Kobe are amazing, but Wade is having an MVP type season.  His defense has reached a Kobe like level and he is doing it all on the court!

Canes and Marve:  Could Randy Shannon have botched this one any more?  Wow.  The way this whole transfer situation has been handled has been an absolute embarrassment for the University.  Miami is an institute of higher learning.  They should show class by allowing Marve the opportunity to go elsewhere for his football career and education.  Sometimes things don’t work out in life and you move on.  Shannon needs to learn that.  He needs to be the bigger man in this situation.   His nit-picking of restrictions makes him look like a child who had his toy taken away.  Angry and bitter.  Get over it.

Dolphins off-season plans: I’ve had a week to really think about it, and tomorrow, I’ll give my thoughts on Miami’s offseason plan.  Here’s one thing I know:  the Fins need a big time receiver.  Trust me, they don’t grow on trees, but it’s a need for the Dolphins to take that next step.  The rest of my take tomorrow…

Trust in Tebow

In the middle of all the Dolphins mania, it was almost easy to forget that the BCS National Championship is right around the corner here in South Florida.  Just one more day to be exact.  I remember being in Arizona for the title game a couple of years ago when the Gators beat Ohio State, and a number Florida players  told me they’d win another one real soon.  I asked them why?  Many pointed to the young players like Percy Harvin, but every single one I talked to told me it was because of Tim Tebow.  Here we are in 2009, and Tebow is within one win of another title.

I remember thinking that I wasn’t too sure about Tebow’s potential as a full time quarterback.  Yes, he looked good in splitting some time with Chris Leak, but he played more like a fullback than a QB.  He was reckless, and he looked for contact.  I thought, no way a player like that could go through a whole season in the SEC and be successful.  Yet, the next year he won the Heisman trophy, and this year he’s been the most important player on a team playing for a championship.  The amazing thing to me is that he hasn’t stopped playing with that reckless style. 

So while people are so impressed with Oklahoma’s amazing offense and talk about this year’s Heisman winner Sam Bradford, I’ll take the proven winner.  Yes, the Sooners are tough, but with the game on the line, the Gators trust in Tebow.  So do I.

Prediction:

Gators- 34 / Sooners- 31