The Long Snapper (5/25/10)
Rest in peace
Lamar Abel
. The former
Florida
defensive lineman
died this past weekend of an apparent heart problem
. Abel was taken to the hospital after he became ill on Saturday afternoon. Early rumors stated he may have suffered cardiac arrest. The lineman played in one game during his Gator career which ended after the 2008 season. Abel was only 21 years old.
If USC is stripped of their 2004 national title, should Auburn be crowned the new champion? As a fan of the SEC and someone who counts the Tigers as his West team (as much as someone can like another program within the conference), I say yes. Then again, what purpose does it really serve? If it is ruled the Trojans cheated in the process of their championship season, then USC should be stripped of its title. But awarding the honor to someone else doesn’t accomplish as much as many may think. In fact, it accomplishes very little. Will members of the Auburn team feel recognized finally? Probably not. Will fans add the title to their trash talking repertoire? Doubt it. Will Auburn immediately start producing 2004 national champion merchandise? No. Years after that fact, the crowning of a new champion will be in name only. The feeling of winning a title won’t happen. The joy of being crowned with your sport’s highest honor won’t be present. Instead it will be “2004 National Champion: Auburn* (Auburn was awarded the title after USC was stripped of the honor.).”
Speaking of the Tigers, they’re without another offensive threat. First quarterback Tyrik Rollison transferred, now running back Dontae Aycock has been booted from the team (coaches definitely need to start using better terms for dismissals…if a player screwed up, let us know you showed his ass the door…no more of this “no longer with the team” crap). Aycock did what so many other players who suddenly find themselves without a school do. He violated team rules. GASP! Count one less combatant in the battle to win the starting RB job at Auburn.
Did you know there already was a 16-team conference in the highest ranks of college football? If you’re my age, it happened during your final years of high school/first years of college when your sole thought about the sport was something similar to “the Gators better win.” I honestly don’t remember the 16-team WAC. Of course, I didn’t spend nearly as much time following the sport as I do now and when you’re an 18-year-old you tend to have other priorities. The WAC did expand and the expansion ended up failing. For a number of reasons really, but ones the Big Ten should take into account. Expansion goes far beyond money.
The List: In case you missed it, Google had a working version of Pac-Man as their logo on Friday. They need to do the same with other games…NOW!
1. Ms. Pac-Man – It’s debatable, but many think Ms. Pac-Man is actually the better game.
2. Space Invaders
3. Tecmo Bowl – The people at Google are smart enough to make this happen.
4. Brick Breaker – On second thought, it gets enough play time on my BlackBerry.
5. The States Game – This is surprisingly addictive.
The Sixth Man: Anyone else starting to wonder if signing Cody Larson wasn’t the best decision Billy Donovan has made recently? I’ll eat my words if Larson cleans up his act and ends up being a model citizen during his time at Florida, but at the moment, I have to question his recruitment. Larson received a 120-day suspended jail sentence and two years of probation after being charged for being present while drug use was occurring (at his home no less). Larson claims he thought he was just sharing medicine and had no idea what he was doing was actually illegal. At first, I filed it away in the “Kids Do Stupid Things” folder. Then we found out he had previously violated a school alcohol policy. Larson could be a good kid that has just made a few dumb mistakes – we all did stupid things when we were younger (some of us are still making them even as we get older) – but is this the type of individual the Gators should be taking on? Let’s hope Donovan gets him headed in the right direction the minute he steps foot in Gainesville.