I have only one thing to say about Saturday's football game against the Florida Atlantic Owls: Thank goodness there's basketball this week.
I know UF is in the thick of things at the moment, hoping it can secure a bid to Atlanta. But assuming the Gators don?t screw up royally Saturday, this game has no bearing whatsoever on UF?s season.
In fact, it would probably be more beneficial for the Gators if their fans drove the 5 1/2 hours to Athens, Ga., and cheered on Kentucky to take away the Bulldogs? home-field advantage.
So, I?m sorry if I can?t spend an entire week agonizing over whose pass rush defense is better or if Percy Harvin is going to make it back in time to stomp all over the Owls.
I?d rather be watching some hoops at the O?Dome today and Saturday œ where this season is shaping up to be more exciting and interesting than the last.
Don?t misunderstand what I?m saying. I will always consider the two-time championship Gators teams as the greatest to ever play college ball. Their team chemistry operated simply on another level, and I found myself sometimes sitting in awe while watching them play.
This season is more exciting in the fact that we know absolutely nothing about this squad, so we have more to watch than blowout victories.
Let?s face it œ everyone knew the Gators would dominate last season and that a repeat was practically in the bag with all of UF?s returning players.
We knew what Al Horford?s post game looked like, and we could tell when Corey Brewer was going to pull out one of his Spiderman moves on his way to the basket.
But this season is entirely different. There are no givens, and every game we get to learn a little bit more about these unknown faces and what exactly the players can do on the court.
Adam Allen is turning into the next Lee Humphrey.
Alex Tyus? alley-oop dunks are providing some of the showtime that disappeared when Horford and Joakim Noah left.
Nick Calathes is starting to demonstrate his depth with every no-look pass and every three-point play.
Even the players who returned are intriguing to watch on the court.
Players who were forecasted to produce haven?t been. Marreese Speights, who was the only UF player selected to the Southeastern Conference Preseason second team, consistently scores but fails to grab boards. As the tallest guy on the team, you?d expect him to wind up with more than three rebounds against Tennessee Tech.
Walter Hodge is showing more emotion on the court and turning into the leader UF desperately needs, while Dan Werner is starting to play with some passion.
Without a single returning starter to its lineup from last season, the Gators are probably going to struggle when the conference season starts, based on its youth factor alone.
But at least they won?t be boring.
