When Florida won its second consecutive men’s basketball national title in 2007, the Gators were riding high.
The alligatorSports crew likes to think that we put together two quality, championship-caliber semesters during the 2011-12 school year and that we, too, are untouchable. Enter reality check.
After dominating the college basketball world for two seasons, the Gators lost the group that made it all possible — the Oh-Fours. Team alligatorSports has also witnessed the departure of four great contributors that simply cannot be replaced.
Leading off, we lost our own “Drunken Dribbler” (Corey Brewer) in Bryan Holt. Much like Brewer harassed his opponents defensively, Holt covered his beat like a shadow. Forever doomed to be a role player, Holt, like Brewer, is a great piece of the first-round playoff exit puzzle that the Denver Nuggets have seemed to master.
Next up we said goodbye to a gamer in Taurean Green, which just so happens to be Tom Green. Like Taurean with the UF offense, Tom ran the show during the fall. Also, they have the same last name. Taurean is off playing for Tofas Bursa, a professional squad in Turkey, and Tom is in Miami covering the Marlins. You haven’t attended a game for either team.
Moving into the frontcourt brings us to our Al Horford doppelganger: John Boothe. Both Horford and Boothe play things cool and quietly turn in great efforts night in and night out. Like Horford, Boothe is a calming presence — the father figure. However, there is one difference between them. If the Hawks had Boothe on the line in Game 7 against the Celtics, the 76ers would have played last night’s game in Atlanta.
Rounding out the quartet is kingpin Matt Watts, the poor man’s Joakim Noah. Like Noah, Watts has a whole mess of facial hair and you will never find him vacationing in Cleveland. Both have been known to forgo wearing a seat belt while riding around town, but only Noah has been caught by law enforcement.
Lastly we have Greg Luca, our own version of coach Billy Donovan. Tempted by the lure of professional sports, Luca has abandoned us to cover the Orioles for the summer. However, once Baltimore is eliminated from playoff contention in early June, he’ll be pining for a return to the cozy alligatorSports office. And we will welcome him back with open arms.
For now, those of us still working in Gainesville want to put out the best section we can for you, the readers. Don’t worry, we are much better equipped to handle the loss of key players than the 2007-08 UF squad.
In other words, we will not dip down to NIT quality. But like those Gators, we need our fans and we need our critics.
Be heard. Say what you think. Voice your opinion. Hit us up on Twitter (@alligatorSports) or email us (sports@alligator.org).
We have a new team at alligatorSports, but we have the same passion for the same game. It’s time for tip off, and you have the best seat in the house.
Contact Joe Morgan at joemorgan@alligator.org.
