Maine's Own to Duke

Joanne McCallie has accepted the women's basketball head coaching job at Duke.
McCallie grew up in Brunswick, ME and still has family where it's "the way life should be."
She played basketball at Northwestern (the 11th school in the Big 10 Conference), coached at U Maine for 8 years before heading to the part of Ohio that Nobody wanted to coach Sparty for seven seasons.

Good luck, Coach P.

Hey University of Florida--Way to Stay Uber Classy

The President of the University of Florida, Dr. Bernie Machen, somehow, in the middle of an interview about a playoff for college football, manages to take a swipe at Greg Oden:

Dr. M: It's ridiculous. What a homer. I was at Michigan (as provost and dean of the school of dentistry). I know how they get in at Michigan. Don't talk to me about the Nobel laureates at Michigan.

Just look at Greg Oden's class schedule this semester. The Big Ten has fought the conference playoff, then they (complain) because Ohio State doesn't have a game in 48 days. (Actually 51 between the last game of the season and the BCS title game. The Big Ten traditionally ends its regular-season football schedule before Thanksgiving).

Greg Oden? Last I checked, Greg Oden played basketball, and has done nothing except be an upstanding citizen and the best player in college basketball this year.

This coming from an institution who had a tenured professor, John Hall, show up so baked for class that he rolled around on his desk, giggled extensively and then made You Tube history (UF, of course, removed the video, but trust me, it was ridiculous)?

I'd like to tell you that I'm surprised by this, but I'm not. It's about what I'd expect from a school like Florida, who has a fan base that spent the morning after their basketball championship, not celebrating their win, but saying horrible (and anonymous--you brave boys, you) things about Ohio State and inexplicably, Michigan:

Anon...
Hey Buckeyes, instead of spelling out OHIO at the football games, make it a word all your fans now have etched on their foreheads........LOSER.

Anon:
Florida OWNS Ohio State. Florida has proven the Buckeyes are no match for them. Give it up Ohio State because you suck.
Troy Smith=worst QB ever
Jim Tressel=worst dressed coach in history
Greg Oden=baby
Thad Matta=horrible coach

Anon said...
It was fantastic watching the Gators humiliate Ohio State once again for the National Championship. When will you Big 10/11 fans learn that the SEC is the best conference in football, basketball, hockey (we don't even have teams, but if we did they would be better), and all the other sports. Give it up Michigan and Ohio State. You both suck at everything.

Hopefully Florida will get to destroy Ohio State again next year. It is fun embarrassing their crappy coaches on national television.

Gator Dynasty said...

To All Michigan Fans:

We found out who the real Fab Five is last night. Florida's Fab Five, consisting of Noah, Horford, Brewer, Humphrey, and Green, is the best starting lineup every assembled. No doubt about it. Want to know why? They are clean (don't take bribes/money), and have actually won titles.

Can Michigan's Fab Five say the same thing? No, not at all. They never won the Big Ten. Chris Webber took money and had his fabulous timeout incident. They were a complete and utter joke.

Now I guess we see that the fan base is just following the example set by their President.

Gahhhhh.

The dreaded event has come to pass. The Gods of Sport have chosen us to battle evil and save College Sport. I exaggerate not even a little bit. I received an email this morning from a colleague and Florida alum who said

Win or lose on Monday, both of us, we should be very proud; because with all due respect to Wake Forest, Michigan, and McGill, we are the TWO preeminent athletic programs in in North America.

I did not have the heart to correct his grammar or to tell him that I find it appalling that he would consider Florida in the same category as The Ohio State University. It's mortifying that he'd think that Florida is better than a storied, historical program like Michigan.

So now we come down to it. It's never just a game in Ohio. The Buckeyes are fully responsible for maintaining the karmic balance of college sports. The yin and yang depend upon it. We're fighting for good here and we must defeat evil.

In Ohio, a win will not go far in erasing the pain of January, but it's the flip side that is horrific to consider. A loss means we were unable to stop Florida from becoming the only school to ever hold simultaneous titles in football and basketball. FLORIDA. The part of Georgia that nobody wanted.

We must stop the likes of Urban Meyer and the "product" he puts on the field. We must stop Billy Donovan, who is playing UK against Florida for more money, while his kids try to make history. We must stop the Super Fan.

We must win for all that is right and good in sport. We must put Florida back in its place. We're counting on you, Mr. Oden.