It’s Great To Be...

By: Jimbo Brown

            Sports as a whole have had something jaw dropping each month. Every time you tuned in to watch your favorite sports channel, a story on there made your heart stop. From Golden State blowing a 3-1 lead, Kevin Durant going to Golden State and Lionel Messi receiving 21 months for Tax Evasion. No matter what part of the world you live in the industry has turned your life upside down for the good/bad. Today we will quickly discuss matters that I want to revisit.

UF Men Track & Field Team: Back on Top

            "It means so much," Hall said. "We won my freshman year, and the past couple of years we've been all over the place. And we've had a great team. Just coming in here, people counted us out from the get go, and we came out on top.”

            After winning the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field national championship in 2012, the Gators had a plethora of talent that couldn’t figure it out. The team lacked belief that it could accomplish the mission once again. After the conference finals, where UF placed 7^th, Coach Holloway (Mouse) challenged himself, staff and athletes to believe that they will make amends at nationals. UF became just the third team since 1992 to win the NCAA Outdoor Championships after finishing outside the top five at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

Arman Hall accomplished his goal of winning a title in the 400m. He is the first gator to accomplish this feat since Tony McQuay. 4000-meter hurdles Eric Futch and Tj Holmes finished 1-2 gathering 18 points for the team. They are second pair of teammates to take first and second place in the 400-meter hurdles since Kamani and Michael Smith of Baylor (2001).

This National Championship extends the universities streak of winning one to 7 years. Even when the expected sports, baseball and softball, didn’t live up to the hype.

Gators Olympic Run

Rachel Longfors- Women’s Discus Throw

Darrielle McQueen- Women’s Long Jump & Triple Jump

Najee Glass- Men’s 400-Meter Dash

Arman Hall- Men’s 400-Meter Dash

Tony McQuay- Men’s 400-Meter Dash

Ebony Eutsey- Women’s 400-Meter Dash

Robin Reynolds- Women’s 400-Meter Dash

Shayla Sanders- Women’s 100-Meter Dash

Jeff Demps- Men’s 100-Meter Dash

Noah Lyles- Men’s 100-Meter Dash & 200-Meter Dash

KeAndre Bates- Men’s Long Jump & Triple Jump

Marquis Dendy- Men’s Long Jump

Ciarra Brewer- Women’s Triple Jump

Mark Parrish- Men’s 3,000- Meter Steeplechase

Fawn Miller- Women’s Javelin Throw

Will Claye- Men’s Triple Jump

Omar Craddock- Men’s Triple Jump

Christian Taylor- Men’s Triple Jump

Bridgette Owens- Women’s 100-Meter Dash

Dedric Dukes- Men’s 200-Meter Dash

Ryan Clark- Men’s 200-Meter Dash

Claudia Francis- Women’s 400-Meter Hurdles

Cory McGee- Women’s 1,500 Meters

Kerron Clement- Men’s 400-Meter Hurdles

Eric Futch- Men’s 400-Meter Hurdles

TJ Holmes- Men’s 400-Meter Hurdles

Kyra Jefferson- Women’s 200-Meter Dash

To see which Gators made it to Rio click here. 

Athlete Talk Mock Draft 1.0

By: Jimbo Brown 

1. Tampa Bay: Jameis Winston, QB,  Florida State-- They need a quarterback and he's #1 on the board. Take EM!
2. Tennessee Titans: Leonard Williams, DT/DE, USC-- They will pass on a QB right now and get the best player in the draft.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Dante Fowler Jr., DE/OLB, UF--I'm a gator and the Jags need a game changer to come off the edge. He will give them a Jamie Collins type hybrid player.
4. Oakland Raiders: Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraska-- HE will join a talented front seven with Justin Tuck and Khalil Mack. Immediate impact because those two can demand double teams at any time. 
5. Washington Redskins: Shane Ray, DE, Missouri-- With Brian Orakpo entering free agency, they will need a pass rusher to step in and Shane was very productive for multiple years in the SEC.
6. New York Jets: Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson-- With Revis and Cro returning back to New Tork, a dynamic pass rusher will make them a force in the AFC East.
7. Chicago Bears: Alvin "Bud" Dupre, DE, Kentucky-- With a great resume as a Wildcat, he will bring that toughness and talent of the SEC to the bears. Who need to add more pieces to a depleted defense.
8. Atlants Falcons: Lando Collins, SS, Alabama-- An All-American wit the Rolling Tide. He was a playmaker throughout his career; know for big hits and causing mayhem. 
9. New York Giants: Ereck Flowers' OT' Miami-- I'm  not going to lie I got a text message telling me that Flowers will be drafted by the giants. He will be a great addition because they need to protect Eli to have any chance in the NFC East.
10. St. Louis Rams: Kevin White, WR, WVU-- Another West V receiver that has the size, speed and ability to be a #1 receiver. The have a good possession receivers and White will be the deep threat to make the defense "Kiss the Baby"  Chad Johnson voice.
11. Minnesota Vikings: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama--Coop will be reunited with the doctor Teddy B and be the playmaker to compliment Adrian Peteson. He will get immediate separation due to his crisp routes.
12. Cleveland Browns: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon-- Even though I got a feeling that Chip is going to make a way to get Marcus, Cleveland needs a back-up plan incase Johnny doesn't be fully rehabilitated. Marcus will be a project but they have a good defense to protect him earl in his career.
13. New Orleans Saints: Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota-- With the departure of pro bowler Jimmy Graham, you have to get first round potential to replace em. 
14. Miami Dolphins: Devante Parker, WR, Louisville--With Mike Wallace not living up to his potential and the lost of productive veterans. He will be a vertical threat early in his career. He is arguably the best receiver in the draft if he was healthy throughout his career.
15. San Francisco 49ers: Eddie Goldman, DT, FSU-- With the lost of Justin Smith , they need a good interior d-linemen. Goldman is a run-stopper and can put pressure on the quarterback. 
16. Houston Texans: Malcolm Brown, DT, Texas-- You add this talent with Watt and Clowney and be one of the best defensive lineman in the NFL. 
17. San Diego Chargers: Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin-- Ryan Matthews leaves to Philly, so this is a excellent replacement. Melvin is the best running back in this drive. He does have fumbling issues.  
18. Kansas City Chiefs: Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Missouri/Oklahoma-- A big receiver that KC need to be more effective on offensive. He has some red flags but he will be a red zone threat early similar to Mike Evans this past season.
19. Cleveland Browns: Cameron Erving, OL, FSU-- Lets protect whoever is the starting QB next season , whether its Mariota or Manziel. Erving is a great talent who protected Winston for two years and looked good doing it. 
20. Philadelphia Eagles: Trae Wayans, CB, MSU-- A long, fast lock down corner who has an incredibly high ceiling. This will allow the Eagles to push Thurmond into the inside and like Maxwell and Wayans handle the outside. 
21. Cincinnati Bengals: Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford-- A former five-star recruit who has major potential, he had some lapses during his career but with the right coaching he will be a great professional.
22. Pittsburgh Steelers: P.J. Williams, CB, FSU-- A 2-year starter at Florida State, who is talented enough to upgrade the Steelers secondary who desperately need corners. It will be interesting to see P.J's game translate to the next level.
23. Detroit Lions: Marcus Peters, CB, Washington-- Sometimes you have to take the best available. 
24. Arizona Cardinals: Danielle Hunter, DE, LSU-- With his lanky build, he brings strength and agility to this team. In this pass happy league he will fit i. 
25. Carolina Panther: DJ Humpries, OT, UF-- An outstanding player for the Gators. He will be a starting RT but needs to be groomed into a LT. 
26. Baltimore Ravens: Todd Gurley, RB, UGA-- Even though they need a corner back and maybe a interior d-linemen, I believe you have to take the best available prospect. Especially when healthy fits the culture that's already in Baltimore.
27. Dallas Cowboys: Arik Armstead, DT, Oregon-- He will bring size and athleticism to a Cowboys defensive that will have to get better now that DeMarco is gone now. 
28. Denver Broncos: Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma--With the lost of Knighton they will need first-round talent to fill his shoes. 
29. Indianapolis Colts: Eric Kendricks, ILB, UCLA-- A fast linebacker who can play sideline to sideline. He is alittle undersized but can make big plays all over the field. His big brother being in the NFL already, he have someone to show him how to represent himself on and off the field.
30. Green Bay Packers: Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington-- Former safety with the Huskies, he will transition into the NFL perfectly. He has the skill set to be that hybrid safety that can play in the box and cover RB's and TE's.
31. Seattle Seahawks: Jaelen Strong, WR, ASU-- He will add to the recievers corp they already have. HE is big, fast strong and will win on most 50/50 balls.
32. New England Patriots: Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest-- Will be an immediate starter due to the lost of Darelle Revis. He has the talent to survive in the AFC East. 

Norland Men’s Basketball:4 State Champions in a Row

By: Candy Man 

In high school sports, they call it boys’ basketball. But at Norland, they’re men amongst boys on the basketball team. They just made history in the state & Dade County, becoming the 1^st basketball team in the county to win 4 straight state championships after beating Gainesville to a score of 53-46 in the Class 6A final. They also become only the 6^th school ever in the whole state to win 4 straight. Head coach, Lawton Williams III, has kept the success going since his first state title with the school in 2006.  With that, they join Miami High as one of the most successful programs in Dade County.

Junior center & All-American, Dewan Huell, was the key for the Vikings this season. He carried his team in the final, scoring 18 points along with 8 boards & 6 blocks. Other key contributors are David Jean-Baptiste & Tyrik Waite. There’s a good chance Norland could be right back in the mix next year as they only have one senior on the team. Huell is one of the best players in the nation and will be the main factor in deciding if they can make it five straight. They were doubted before the beginning of this season. Critics said they were too young & inexperienced after they lost so many of their players from last years’ state title team. Coach Williams still worked his magic with a team full of underclassmen. Pretty much the whole team is returning next year. With more depth & experience, Norland should be able to make it 5 straight titles.   

Also, shout out to Browad’s Blanche Ely basketball team and head coach Melvin Randall. They finished the season undefeated (28-0) and won their 3^rd state title in the past 4 seasons, beating Kissimmee Osceola in the Class 7A final.

Miramar Patriots Football: Is it the End?

By: Candy Man 

The 2014 Miramar football team was the #1 team in the preseason Class 8A polls & one of the most talented teams in Florida. They were projected to win the Class 8A state championship but soon got off to a disappointing 2-2 start to the season, losing leads late in the game to Plantation-American Heritage & St. Thomas, and another lead later in the year to Flanagan. They finished the year with 8 wins & 3 losses. They also lost their head coach, Matthew Strout, who resigned midway through the season for personal reasons. However, after his resignation, he claimed that several players were academically ineligible to play and others were paid to transfer to Miramar & for their play on the field. 

To provide a little background on the situation, the 2013 Patriots finished the regular season undefeated before losing in a surprising upset to Palm Beach Gardens in the regional finals. Damon Cogdell, the head coach that built Miramar into a powerhouse and won the 2009 Class 6A state championship, left the school to become the linebackers coach for the West Virginia Mountaineers. Strout who was an offensive line coach, got promoted to head coach. This past summer, Miramar received several transfers including highly-recruited prospect, Jovon Durante from Norland. The Patriots got off to a 5-3 start before Strout was forced to resign. Soon after, allegations of ineligible players and impermissible benefits surfaced. Along with his other claims, Strout also claimed that he gave “sports gear, airfare to summer camps, presents for players’ girlfriends, cash incentives for grades, and tickets to USF football games to two teachers,” according to the Sun-Sentinel. Strout also lied about his educational background and job history. 

I don’t know if Miramar football has a history of academic misconduct & giving illegal benefits to athletes under Coach Cogdell or if this all started when Matthew Strout was named the head coach but it’s unfortunate that the football team had to lose their whole season and a shot at the state championship because of a few bad people in the program. It is said that more than 20 student-athletes were implicated and some ineligible athletes even had their grades fixed so that they can continue playing. Others were paid for making big plays on the field. After the team learned that it would lose its spot in the playoffs, athletes, parents, & coaches protested in front of the Broward County School Board building but the school board was firm & steady in their decision. Hopefully, Miramar will find a coach that can clean up the program, be a leader to the young men and help the team bounce back from this controversy in 2015.

Teddy “2Gloves” Bridgewater: GUMP (Great Under Major Pressure)

By: Jimbo Brown

“Teddy, Teddy, Teddy” chants the the Minnesota Vikings fan base after rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater came to the sideline after a touchdown drive. “It’s great when you have fans on your back supporting you,” Bridgewater said. Its not new for Teddy to hear his name chanted or lead his team to a comeback victory, he has done both throughout his career.Teddy’s career didn’t start off on the bright side. He didn’t become the #1 pick after preseason mock draft had him and Jadeveon Clowney as #1 and #2.

Two other quarterbacks were taken ahead of Bridgewater after respected experts had him ranked as  #4 QB due to a subpar performance at his pro day. Teddy stayed humble throughout the draft process and worked hard to show the Vikings their first-round pick wasn’t a waste.  His first career start didn’t disappoint the Viking organization neither. 

Teddy Bridgewater was the first quarterback ever to record a fourth-quarter comeback in his debut bringing the Vikings back from a one-point deficit after they blew a 27-14 lead in the third quarter. With the best debut of any vikings quarterback back, Teddy set team records for the most passing yards, most completions and highest passer rating by a rookie in his first start. After only one start, Teddy is proving on the field that he was the best quarterback in the 2014 NFL Draft. 

Trying to make a play to put his team in the lead, Teddy sprained his ankle and didn’t return to the game after converting the 2-point conversion. Although he is likely to start this Thursday against the Packers, Teddy has played with this injury before while at Louisville, against an in-conference rival, University of Rutgers.Teddy states “I think in this situation, I’m just going to have to put extra time in the training room.” As the co-founder of GUMP (Great Under Major Pressure), Teddy will be well prepared if coaches decide to start him. 

Teddy “2Gloves” Bridgewater gives the children that are running around Bunche Park, someone they can look up took and say “I can do it too.”  He’s done everything the right way and still has a lot more to accomplish.