The Long Snapper (5/28/10)
Welcome to a very special Memorial Day weekend version of The Long Snapper. No different than an everyday version of The Long Snapper, but you know, for the holiday weekend.
Rontavious is a name you wish you had. Nothing bland like Dave or Bill or The. You wish you were Rontavious. Pahokee’s Rontavious Atkins has committed to USF, so at the very least you can watch someone take the name to stardom over the next few years. A linebacker in high school, Atkins is projected as a safety in college. He’s a hard hitter with good game instincts, but might not have the frame to play LB. Hence the potential move to the defensive backfield. Atkins becomes the second member of the Bulls’ 2011 recruiting class.
Boise State safety Jason Robinson has a laundry list of things he must do after being sentenced for a bar fight. Robinson was ordered to spend 180 days in jail, complete 200 hours of community service, be on probation for two years, and pay $29,000 in restitution. So kids, don’t get into bar fights and try not to break the other combatant’s jaw in the process. Robinson has yet to be kicked off of the football team, but has been suspended since March. His return to the Broncos is up in the air.
Bob Stoops believes Oklahoma will be a catch for any conference looking to pick up the Sooners if they do in fact move. His statements deserve a gigantic “NO SHIT!” OU has been one of the premier programs in the nation for a long, long time. Any conference looking to improve itself through expansion would definitely consider getting the Sooners a win. Oklahoma is one of the few that doesn’t need to sell itself in the expansion wars that are clearly on the horizon. The Sooners will end up doing just fine once the dust settles.
A reader sent in a question to Stewart Mandel’s mailbag regarding what type of program to follow. The reader was basically asking if you have no horse in the race, do you follow the powerhouse or do you cheer for the underdog? Mandel writes back that he has always been a fan of the underdog and I actually think I might be on the other side of the fence. As a former student at two very large schools, I had my allegiances mapped out for me. Florida, Florida, Florida, and then a little USF. But what about someone who loves the sport, but doesn’t have the link to a specific school? What does cheering for the underdog get you? In a single game, sure it’s fun and sometimes makes for a great story. But what about when you’re picking the program you want to become a true fan of? In that case, I say there’s nothing wrong with picking one of the big boys…with one rule attached. You must stick with them through it all. Say you grew up far away from any large university. You ended up attending a small school in the lower athletic ranks (or didn’t attend college at all, I’m definitely not discriminating), but love college football and want to have that one team to cheer for. Go ahead, pick Alabama. But stay true to them. Don’t just ride the wave while they’re good. Ride it through it all. There’s nothing wrong with someone who grows up in North Dakota saying “Notre Dame is my team,” but you better still be wearing your Irish hat during the tough years.
The Sixth Man: Former Florida assistant Donnie Jones made some people scratch their heads when he moved from Marshall to UCF, but the move may make more sense than you think. And it’s not just because one of his new players has the last name of Jordan.
The List: Friday means the weekend is upon us and it means more time to watch sports. But this weekend is a nice long one, so enjoy. Watch what’s on if you want, but if you decide a cold drink is all you need for the next few days, I won’t judge. In fact, I’ll probably be doing the same. So scrap the list and have a good one.